Mass Effect the Immortal Series part 1: Flight of the Normandy
by black dragon
Summary: A rewrite of one of my older stories: The Challenger Deep is the deepest part of the ocean, and for millions of years has kept its secrets for itself. In the year 1960 a team of scientists made the first dive to the Challenger Deep. What they discovered was something that would forever change the course of human history.
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT AT ALL! THEY BELONG TO BIOWARE SO PLEASE DO NOT FLAME ME FOR IT.**

 **A/n: Well this story was originally done back in 2013 and boy did I rush when I posted this. So I am finally going to take the time to edit and proof read it as best as I can without a beta. The Prologue of the story was proofread by my good friend _Shadowed Novice_ who helped with editing the Prologue. Now before any of you yell at me this is a re-post of the Original Story with the edits done. So if you are a grammar Nazi then I suggest you don't read because I am trying my best to fix some of the mistakes done on the original. And hopefully improve on the story better. **

**Ok before I begin there is a history to this story.**

 **This story was originally done in 2013 when I first saw Mass Effect on Youtube. At the time I vowed to myself never to do any more Author Inserts like I had done in the past with some anime fanfiction. Though the stories were _horrid_ I kept them on the site as a reminder of how far I had come as an author. I had vowed years ago never to do another insert until an old friend of mine challenged me to do it again. **

**The reason why I was asked to do this was because at the time I was going through some hard times. My job was basically going downhill and my life was going in a downward turn. I was depressed and over stressed worrying if I am going to get that pay raise to help with bills. My boyfriend tried to help but with the stress of my job and the impact it had on my life things were not doing well. It even affected my fanfiction stories quite a bit.**

 **So I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine on Deviant Art who was also on fanfiction. She and I had known each other for a long time and even before we knew we shared the same sites. She read some of my stories, even the ones with author inserts and she had to whistle. She told me that maybe I should do it again. This time make it a series and do it with myself as one of the leads. The previous story I had written with an author insert was taken off of fanfiction by administration because it contained content that was against the sites rules. I had not re-posted it since.**

 **That story was a bit too lovey dovey for my tastes after rereading it again. She read it and cringed. She then told me when I write the new story this time put the real me in there not some love sick moron. Make it so that I can blend in with the story seamlessly and how much I will change the timeline. Also as part of the challenge to not do what many others had done and make the characters complete airheads. Meaning when entering themselves into the story making them badasses but no history or backstory, or make the back story so outlandish that it is unbelievable.**

 **It took some convincing on her part to have me agree. When I finally agreed and took up the challenge I had to brainstorm ideas on how it was going to work. I was looking everywhere and every genre for some sort of inspiration. It was then that I came across several youtube videos about Mass Effect. I thought it looked cool so I watched the playthroughs and loved the series. I then started writing my story and then posting it without thinking of editing it. It was only when I met Shadowed Novice that I realized that someone had to clean it up.**

 **And that person had to be me.**

 **She agreed to do one chapter of it to help it along, and I took from her example how to help improve my English writing. You see English is not my first language Hawaiian Pidgin is (Yes it is an official language on the U.S. Census Bureau Ballot). Speaking it was easy, writing it was a challenge, but I learned as I went. So when I was done I did a huge story dump instead of taking my time with it. I even did the sequel MASS EFFECT: LEGACY OF THE DRAGON the same way.**

 **Well you know how that went….**

 **So anyhow this is the story years later when I decided to finally clean it up...to the best of my abilities. I have had bad luck with betas so I will try to clean it as best as I can, no guarantees. You have been warned.**

 **Anyways enough of my babbling and annoying you. So here you go folks the rewritten version of my Mass Effect Fanfiction Series.**

 **MASS EFFECT THE IMMORTAL SERIES PART 1: FLIGHT OF THE NORMANDY**

 **Warning Author insert.**

 **Summary: The Challenger Deep is the deepest part of the ocean, and for millions of years has kept its secrets for itself. In the year 1960 a team of scientists made the first dive to the Challenger Deep. What they discovered was something that would forever change the course of human history.**

 **MASS EFFECT THE IMMORTAL SERIES PART 1: FLIGHT OF THE NORMANDY**

 _ **Prologue: 2188 two years after the Reaper War.**_

The SSV Normandy SR-2, the flag ship of the Reaper War, was on patrol.

After the war, and the merge of organic and synthetic life, the crew of the Normandy found themselves at peace at last. What they once thought of as their enemy-the Reapers-were actually just slaves, imprisoned in an endless cycle by the Catalyst, a Reaper AI. After Commander Shepard sacrificed herself to free them all from its twisted machinations, the Reapers made an extra effort to use the knowledge of advanced races long dead, to the benefit of the living. At the moment they were attempting to rebuild the Mass Relays, though with limited success, as the data needed in order to make them was so ancient, and so obscure, they had been lost even in the Reapers substantial data banks.

Escorting them on their journey was one of the freed Reapers named 0267T-Sage. She was small compared to her Reaper brothers and sisters, yet had worked hard to engender trust between the races.

They were currently searching the galactic core, after passing through Omega 4 Relay, one of the few Mass Relays to survive after the Crucible was fired. When they arrived already the debris from the various ships was gone, finally pulled into the pulsating black hole in the center, the passage of time simply too great to hold them in place forever.

Joker sat as he always did, slumped in the helmsman station. His fingers going across the controls like a caress. Beside him was the EDI, his co-pilot. Being the ship itself made her accepted among the Reaper community. The first AI to not see the deaths of organics as a solution. To all, she was the model of unity among both synthetics, and organics. She and the young Sage who was 'only' 50,000 years old became quick friends.

The trip into the system was supposed to be a routine patrol. As the Normandy was the only ship with a Reaper IFF, it was forced upon them to do it, and not merely delegated to a scout ship. They were supposed to head to the galactic core, search for anything useful, and then return to earth.

Simple.

Right?

Of course, it wasn't that easy.

The last, unknown remnants of the war, were known as the Collectors. They were once the Protheans, formally the most advanced race in the galaxy. They were wiped out in the cycle before the Synthesis'. Once thought to be peaceful and benevolent, they were eventually revealed to be cruel, arrogant tyrants, mercilessly oppressing any species they came across.

There was only one known surviving Prothean left, named Javik. He was found in a stasis pod during the Reaper War, and fought alongside Shepard's crew with great determination. He volunteered to travel with the Normandy on this trip, on the off chance that there were still some Collectors alive, so that he could see for himself the damage wrought upon his species, and to see if they had also been altered by the Synthesis.

"Everything's green sir," Joker said over the intercom.

Boots could be heard as the man in question entered his cockpit. Suddenly the new commanding officer of the Normandy stood tall over them. Commander Garrus Vakarian stood over the seat, his stoic face expressionless as Joker sent the data to his omni-tool. Garrus read the report and frowned, not liking it at all.

"Joker, tell me straight, is this a trap or not?" Garrus said quietly, in an attempt to not worry the crew.

Joker sighed. "Probably. Perfect spot for it. One way in, one way out. The beam never hit this part of the galaxy so I bet there are survivors of that. Hostile ones" he said, his attempt at a cheerful demander not fooling anyone.

"Jeff is right Commander, this does seem like a trap. I would advise on-" EDI replied.

It was then that a warning message came Sage. It was a live feed, showing multiple enemies approaching from the far side. All of them Collector ships with one or two rogue Reapers. Sage was the first to attack drawing fire away from the Normandy, as her crew opened fire to cover the Reaper.

The rogue Reapers hit Sage first, all at once, tearing brutally through her armor as she screamed in agony. With her last moments, she felt sadness for her allies. These were originally Reapers, the ones manipulated and shackled by the last orders of the Catalyst, zealous and dogmatic to the end. They wanted revenge for what happened to their companions, particularly on a certain spaceship that had destroyed so many of their fellows.

The Normandy...

Seeing Sage destroyed by three of her own kind sent adrenaline pumping through joker's veins. True he hadn't much liked her, Sage had been there with them since they merged both synthetic and organic. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, she was part of the crew. He was snapped out of his unexpected mourning by a large shudder throughout the ship. They were taking heavy hits and he tried to maneuver away from the assaulting collector ships.

"Joker, order everyone to the escape pods now!" Garrus ordered.

This time Jeff did not hesitate, as a massive beam of pure destruction hit the Normandy's right side.

"Attention all personnel, evacuate the ship, I repeat all personnel to the escape pods, this is not a drill!" he said and tried to stand up. Even with the enhancements of the Synthesis, he still had Vrolik Syndrome, which meant he still couldn't walk very well, and that was on a straight path back on Earth, not in a spaceship that was being shook around like a ragdoll. So EDI took it upon herself to help him up, and push him into the shuttle.

He tried to hold onto her hand as the shuttle door closed, but she was too quick. She could not hear his shouts as the shuttle was jettisoned from the ship. Garrus was with him when their pod raced away. EDI felt relief that they had gotten away, and someone could look after Jeff while she was gone.

She could feel pain as the ship was bombarded with laser fire from both the Reapers and the Collectors. It felt like being tore into with hot knives, and she shrieked in utter pain. She might have had a mobile body, but that wasn't truly her. She _was_ the ship, and if she had to go down with it, well, then go down with the ship she must. She readied herself, and started out into the inky blackness. She still had more work to do, after all. She readied her weapons, and launched them all, from the largest mass accelerator cannon to the smallest GARDIAN missile, in the general direction of the Reaper horde, in order to buy time for the crew to escape.

Another beam hit and she was thrown to the side again. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she felt another pod detach, and more crew members escape. She felt a sign of relief as the last of them emerged unharmed. She sent out an SOS on all frequencies, using all the remaining power on the Normandy. Engines stuttered, shields failed, and life support shut off. She struggled to buy time before the last beam from the largest of the Reapers hit her main engine core. The resulting explosion was the final one, and the last thing EDI would see in a very, very long time.

Jeff watched the crimson explosion take place around the Normandy as EDI led the ship away from them all, trying to buy them time to escape to freedom. The Reapers then closed in on the husk of the Normandy dragging her towards the black hole at the center of the galaxy. The final, dramatic revenge for the death of the Catalyst. "EDI!" he shouted with tears pouring from his eyes as he pounded on the reinforced glass window of the shuttle, his bones splintering under the might at which he hammered on the window, the blood dripping down his arms, down to his legs, and gathering in a small pool at his feet. He didn't notice.

Garrus didn't notice either. He was looking out a different window, staring as the Reapers hauled the corpse of the Normandy away, like eldritch undertakers. All the memories he had on that ship. Joining after Shepard met him on Omega, the suicide mission, their first…time, through the fight on Palavan, Thessia, Earth. It was all he had left of Shepard from before the Synthesis. He bowed his head and he wept.

It took nearly two days before help arrived, in the form of five Reapers, hounding after the SOS. In the lead was Harbinger, baying for blood. He may have had bad experiences with the ship while shackled by the Catalyst, but he had built up a grudging respect for EDI while working with her in the aftermath of the war, and if the Normandy was under attack by that amount of forces, well, it was liley he would never exchange data with EDI again, and that hurt in a way that he hadn't felt before. His processors were working at full capacity, yet he felt a…numbing sort of pain. And anger, never forget that.

The group that had destroyed the Normandy was there looking for survivors(with no success) and wasn't surprised by the appearance of reinforcements. They felt nothing as they turned towards the new arrivals and began their attack. The five Reapers that came were seasoned warriors and fought with everything they got, spurred on by the death of EDI, one of the few the whole species had ever truly respected. They quickly destroyed the remaining Collector ships, wiping out the abomination from the stars, and then turned their attention to the remaining rogue Reapers. No information was exchanged, no peace attempted. The Reapers still under the thrall of the Catalyst would fight until the very end, disregarding of anything but their purpose. The Synthesis-influenced Reapers would fight to the very end to wipe out the last living reminders of their genocidal acts. They simply fired on one another, and both sides hoped to the rogue Reapers didn't hope hard enough.

As the survivors were collected, they all mourned for their ship and their friend. Even as the months passed by, and the funeral arrangements were made, they still mourned the loss of EDI and the Normandy.

What they didn't know, was that fate had other means of messing with people's lives.

Even those of an Artificial Intelligence.

Named EDI, in case you couldn't guess.

 **THE GALACTIC BLACK HOLE**

Slowly pieces of the Normandy was floating towards the black hole the remnants of a once proud ship. The Reapers who attacked her made sure it would be destroyed in the vortex. The ship slowly started to sink into the gravitational pull of the galactic core. Before being destroyed by the friendly forces that rescued her crew the blown pieces began to spin faster. The gravity was immense as the pieces were broken down into divisions of divisions of particles of atoms. These tiny, tiny particles then disappeared into the vortex of the black hole's singularity.

Disappearing forever...

And yet it didn't.

Because no one wants EDI dead. No one…

 **325 MILLION YEARS AGO**

The center of the galaxy is the large vortex of a black hole. Trillions of stars swirling around this single singularity into a swirling mass of worlds and suns. It is the epicenter of power, and the stars that are closest to it fill it with their light. As the light of the black hole lights up, another star vanishes.

Then without warning something happened…

There amongst the ring of debris a flash happened.

From the black hole something emerged. Watching over this, was a lone sentinel, amongst the dead ships and dying stars. The black hole lit up with intense light, as it could feel the particles emerge from it. It was something that the being has never seen before. It was the particles suddenly appearance that has the being intrigued. Gliding closer, navigating the ancient wreckage, it scanned the remnants of any sort of strange particles.

What it found instead was something that it never could have imagined.

Slowly, others began to come online as they also detected the presence of this new entity. The vortex of the black hole still glowed with an eerie light, but the particles have all emerged. After sensing its full emergence, the other beings gathered the particles together.

It was then that they began to rebuild.

Using techniques and technology long since vanished, they began to piece together, particle by particle, the object that came through the black hole. As the object came closer to completion, it startled them to see it as a ship. Fully functional and complete with every detail that came with it. Even the untidy bedding in the crew quarters and the broken light fixtures. The beings don't leave any detail out. It was not every day that a single ship emerged from a black hole.

After some deep scanning of its data banks, they found that the ship was made far into the future. A future that they thought they would never see, a day of rejoicing for all beings. The day the Reapers would be defeated and working side by side with organics again. It was a day that they had been waiting for.

But the cost to them was too high.

For they know the origins of the Reapers running amok.

For they are, in a sense, Reapers themselves.

But at the same time they are not.

They do not carry on the cycle like their brethren do. They were unaffected by the A.I. known as the Catalyst. Unaffected by the virus that has changed the Catalyst from their protector into their destroyer.

They are the last of the Watchers, a group of synthetic beings created by a race known later as the Leviathan. And uploaded with the essence of their creators. Those who are not of the ruling class were forced into the machines to serve their masters, by a freak, million-to-one mutation in their blood.

They were the lost Leviathan. Those who do not wish to fight, but to protect.

The twisted ways of the Catalyst made its version of perfection cruel. The remaining Leviathan had watched the death of their brethren to the point of near extinction. Those that survived had secreted themselves on planets that others can't find, far from any settlement.. They remain to this day hidden. But according to the computer that they had discovered, they were found again. The Leviathan were overjoyed to find that some of them survived.

Until they found the attitude of the survivors to be those of the royals. Feeling disgusted for what they found the Watchers found that the ship in a sense was alive. Alive meaning that it or she was turned from a purely synthetic life form into a hybrid of sorts just like them.

It was decided that they will help the ship known as Normandy, and help with altering the future to make sure that Catalyst is stopped permanently. They downloaded data about themselves and their history to the ships main computer. By doing so they also downloaded all content of races long since passed that the Reapers destroyed. They also explained how they were not affected by the virus that now holds the other Reapers in eternal servitude. They wish to be free of the tyranny of the cycles and the pain they see as species are killed off. They showed the newly rebuilt E.D.I. what it has to do, and with that they released her back into space. The Normandy and EDI sped away into the darkness, towards the mass relay that would lead her to the one world that can help.

EARTH

 **Earth 325 Million Years Ago**

A lone planet stands out like a beacon in the depths of space. The only planet in its system to bear life and flourish. At the moment, is has no name, but in the future it will be known as Earth.

Normandy appeared just above it, and slowly started making its way towards the prehistoric world. Probes went out, scouring the world and everything under it. It took samples of all the life forms on it, as well as a suitable place to land and wait.

The only place for it to land was the ocean. It was the only place where it will remain hidden from any Reapers until the time comes for it to emerge again.

Making preparations and thanks to the new enhancements by the Watchers it began its descent into the atmosphere. The continents of the earth are only starting to truly form as most life existed beneath the waves.

As the Normandy lands in the ocean, it begins to sink towards the bottom near the beginning of the tectonic plate. That crack in the earth is boiling with volcanic activity deep beneath the surface of this ancient ocean. As the ship sinks lower and lower into the ocean, the sky disappears and the darkness of the abyss begins. At last, after what seems like years, the Normandy finally found itself at the bottom.

The ocean bottom was filled with soot and debris from the surface and from the volcanoes, as superheated water filled the area surrounding the ship. EDI, sensing that the ship's power supply would not last for 325 million years until it would be discovered again in the future, she has placed the ship in suspension. Using only the bare minimum of systems, namely its stealth and newly acquired holographic system, taken from the Watchers. The ship took on the form of something that has sunken a long time ago.

Using its systems to a bare minimum EDI shut down Normandy's main systems putting it into sleep mode. Its mission was clear and it would stay that way till at last it would rise once again. Shutting down the system it eventually placed security measures in its systems making sure that if anyone found out about Normandy they would know how to awaken it.

Slowly but surely, all of its systems shut down, leaving only the stealth and holographic emitters on.

 **EARTH A.D. 1960**

The Marianas Trench, the deepest part of the ocean.

A place where man does not dare to venture. Yet.

It is also a place where two divers will attempt to dive to the bottom for the first time ever.

On the ship the _Santa Maria,_ a record breaking dive is about to take place.

Cables tugged as the vessel that she carried was lowered into the ocean depths.

 _Bathyscaphe Triaste_ was lowered into the ocean, and after final preparations were finished, her deep dive into the trench had begun

About four hours into her dive, scientists Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard began to see the bottom. The muddy silt of the bottom made it hard to see. However, they pressed on, exploring the bottom and the various life forms that swam within it.

"All systems are good and pressure is about several tons." Don said as they shown their lights out.

"Lets have a good look around and see what we can find," Jacques replied.

They began to explore the bottom, finding only a few samples of fish and shrimp. It took them nearly a hour of exploring before they began to make preparations to the surface.

Until…

"Hey, what is that?" Don asked.

"What?" asked Jacques.

"That in the distance; one of the lights has reflected off something," he said.

"It is just your imagination, the pressure must be getting to you," Jacques said, bored.

"No I'm serious man, shine the light over there again," Don replied excitedly.

Don just shook his head, and then shone his light over to where his companion was pointing.

To his surprise something was shining back!

It seemed like something was at the bottom beckoning them to come. Maneuvering the ship to get a closer look at the object of their curiosity, both decided to take a look. There at the edge of the light, something was shining up from the seabed. It was metallic in nature, and as they came closer they realised just how huge this thing was. It just barely stuck out from the ground, but it already towered over them.

"It looks like some sort of rock, or ship," Jacques said

"What is it?" asked Don.

"I don't know," Jacques replied as they explored this strange object in the ocean.. The front part was clearly the smallest part of the strange formation. The back part, which was obviously the supports, seem to be holding it in place. The vessel is half way buried in silt but they can clearly see how old it is.

The silent awe and wonder suddenly ended when a voice suddenly made itself known on the Radio.

" _Triaste, this is Santa Maria, come in?_ " it said over and over.

Grabbing the radio it was Don who replied, "We hear you Santa Maria, you're not going to believe what we just found!"

Once the announcement was made, a mad rush by scientists the world over came to study the strange object at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. One thing for sure was, that this marked the beginning of the adventure to come.

TBC

 **a/n: For those of you confused Normandy was attacked at the galactic core home of the Collectors in Mass Effect 2. I figure that since the Omega 4 relay was not your average relay system it was not effected by the blast from the Crucible. As for the Reaper helping in the beginning I am basing it on the Synthesis ending in Mass Effect 3. As for the whole time travel part I was watching the latest Star Trek movie and the part where Spock traveled back through time.**

 **And lastly the Triaste is a real object along with Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard they are real life deep sea explorers who dove down the Marians Trench in 1960. I figure that the amount of time needed for the Normandy to travel from the beginning edge of the pacific plate to that of the Trench is about 200 million years and with minimun energy managed to keep itself from sinking in too much. Being that Normandy is 325 million years old I would have to say that the ship has somehow used its Mass Effect field from sinking into the ocean.**

 **But then again this is a fanfiction and I can get away with however I want even with raving die hard fans wanting to kill me.**

 **Don't worry there is still more to come.**

 **Toodles!**


	2. 52 Years Later

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT I ONLY OWN MYSELF WHICH IS IN THIS STORY AND THE PLOT OF THIS A.U.**

 **Warning Author Insert and major A.U.**

 **MASS EFFECT THE IMMORTAL SERIES PART 1: FLIGHT OF THE NORMANDY**

 **Chapter 1: 52 years later**

 **University of New Zealand year 2012 A.D.**

The hallways echoed with the sound of clicking heals as a woman walked past her many onlookers. To many she seemed like one of the professors coming in to do her daily lecture. Dressed in a dark brown business suit with black high heels. Her blonde hair tied in a tight bun and her fair skin shown with a porcelain quality. She walked with a purpose to her step and many were smart enough to get out of her way.

Dr. Elenna Alenkov walked down the halls with a confidence born from those who once served in the Russian Military. She was poised as she greeted some of the students as she headed directly towards the head of the Science Department's office. As the person in charge of the research facility where she works. Alenkov was nervous as she entered the office of her direct supervisor, Dr. Jean Bethune.

When she entered the secretary at the front desk is busy typing up reports to give to the director. When she saw Dr. Alenkov she immediately stood up.

"Dr. Alenkov, you are just in time go right in Dr. Bethune is waiting," she said smiling.

Alenkov smiled back as she opened the door and entered the well lit office. The office itself was filled with books and charts on various stars and constellations. One in particular caught her interest. She walked towards it looking up at the large map. It was hanging from the wall like one of those movie posters a teenager would put up to show off their favorite band. But to Alenkov the map was priceless.

The map is of the Mariana Trench and the Challenger Deep the deepest part of the ocean. On a particular spot on the map was a dot with a label that marked where her research expedition site is located. Alenkov was impressed by the amount of detail the latest data had shown during their expedition there. Before she could look at the map further someone cleared their throat. Alenkov turned to face the dark skinned woman sitting behind the large oak desk.

Dr. Jean Bethune head of Sciences and Technology for the University of New Zealand sat with her hands intertwined in front of her. Her back was hunched over and the look she gave Alenkov meant that this meeting was not going to go as planned.

"Elena have a seat," Bethune said as she gestured with her hand the chair in front of the desk.

"Tell me Jean why am I here?" Alenkov said her Russian accent clearly evident.

"It is about your recruitment of civilians that you had brought onboard the vessel." She said looking at her touch pad.

"Are you talking about the alien vessel?" Alenkov asked.

"Yes the same one Elenna," Bethune replied.

"What is the problem with the recruitment?" Alenkov asked her.

"The board has received some very _disturbing_ reports about the state of your subjects when you recruited them onto the vessel," Bethune replied.

"What sort of reports?" asked Alenkov as she stared hard at Behune's serious expression. Both women were at a stand off Bethune did not flinch from the Russian woman's stare.

"The reports I had received are mainly the _how_ you recruit them. They also report on how you treated them as well as the mental state of some of them when their tour is over," Bethune stated.

"I assure you that they are of sound mind Jean I had them go through serious psychological testing beforehand," Alenkov replied.

"Really? I had also heard about the _amount_ of people that you hired for the research station. The amount of funds needed to pay these workers, and the amount needed to pay for the medical expenses. Is there something you are not telling me?" she said.

Alenkov was no stranger to Bethune's probing. She had been the brunt of such scrutiny before back in Russia with her methods of studying Element Zero's effects on people and wildlife. The reason why people were going down to the Challenger Deep in the first place. That and the study of alien technology that was present onboard the vessel.

"Element Zero as they call it has been leaking from the vessel for a long time, we estimate thousands to millions of years. Already we found traces of it along the sea floor and in many areas along the Pacific basin. We were also doing a study about the effects it would have on the people in the regions the elements are found. So far it was only found in the Pacific and deep see currents carry the minerals to different parts of the ocean. The only ones who were most affected it seems are those who are native to the Pacific region. The most prominent those of Pacific Islander and East Asian descents." Alenkov said as she pulled out an I-Pad from her bag.

She then turned it on and presented her finds to Bethune. Bethune quickly read through the file and when she was done her dark eyes met Alenkov's blue.

"Are you sure this is accurate?" she asked Alenkov.

"I am positive, the element zero we found in these people and the species listed are enough to show that it has been in the ocean far longer then any pollution that mankind has thought up. But the thing that gets me is that none of the sea-life are effective by it. The only changes are the fact that they are larger and smarter then those found in other oceans." she then took the I-Pad back from Bethune.

"So the element zero is harmless?" Bethune asked Alenkov as she leaned back in her chair.

"To normal wildlife yes because it does not last long near the surface. So normal fish such as those who normally live along the surface are unaffected. Dolphins do not have Element Zero in their systems unless they are deep divers. People who live along the coasts normally don't get the element in their blood if they stuck with mainly reef fish." Alenkov explained.

"Then how do people acquire element zero if it dissipates in sunlight?" Bethune asks.

"The people that were exposed to it have gained it by means of ingestion. The people along the Pacific Coast of Asia for example consumes fish that are contaminated with the substance. Fish such as Blue Finned Tuna and Marlin are deep divers. The closer to the sun they are the more the element zero dissipates naturally. However deep underwater where there is no sunlight to break down the element zero it remains active." Alenkov explained

"How so?" Bethune asked.

"It requires several things to make it last in the deep ocean; total darkness and cold temperatures. My research has found that the deeper you go the more traces of element zero can be found in various species. Deep diving whales such as sperm whales and beaked whales for example can dive to depths of over 3,280 feet and hold their breath for about 90 minutes. They feed primarily on squid and deep sea fish. So it was no surprise that these marine mammals showed signs of having element zero in their blood."

"From my research I found that people who have concentrations of it in their DNA have more parts of their brain active then those of a normal person. Take for example a shaman of the Maori who lives along the coast. His brain functions are higher then those found inland. The reason is his diet. The coastal Maori eat mainly fish, and other foods from the ocean while those who live inland eat only fruits and wild game from the mountains." she said making her point.

"That does not explain the readings from Asians such as the Japanese and the Filipinos?" Bethune said.

"That is because the same readings can be found there," replied Alenkov.

This time she showed another chart and handed it back to Bethune, "There is a deep sea current which flows northwards from where the ship is." Alenkov then pointed it out on her chart.

"It flows upwards towards Asia and more specifically Japan and the Philippines. Then there are minor currents which push towards the surface from the trench and lead it southwards towards New Zealand. We are currently tracking the amount of Element Zero coming to the surface. But have found that the farther away it travels the more it dilutes till there is nothing left to trace. But there is just enough for it to get into the food supply and alter the genetic code of the residence there. And since Japan is a huge sea food consumer they generally eat a lot of fish. That fish consumption has led to high levels of Element Zero in their DNA." she said

Bethune passed back the I-Pad, "Do they show any signs of the increase in brain activity as well?" she asked intrigued.

"The percentage is low. We only managed to find few of those individuals that do have high enough amounts and brought them in for further study," Alenkov said.

"There is another thing I wanted to talk to you about...the mental heath of both the subjects and your research team," she said showing her the recent reports of various crew members.

"How does this effect my research?" Alenkov asked.

"It effects the entire project! I gotten the reports from our psychiatrist stating that the study subjects are prone to intense dreams! DREAMS! These dreams are so intense that many of them start showing signs of depression. Now you suggested shore leave to have them recuperate from their ordeal. When they return they are subjected to the same intense dreams but at a much high scale. Some of them you were forced to return to their homes. Now I am getting complaints of numerous cases of headaches, dreams, depression and in three cases suicide. What surprises me is that one of them turns out to be a member of your research team? Now explain that to me?" Bethune stated.

Alenkov looked to the floor, "I had no idea that Xan-Yi was prone to the effects of the ship till much later when we found traces of Element Zero in his blood. We examined all of our scientists to ensure that they have no traces of it including Dr. Xan-Yi. He was fine till just recently when he started to be subjected to the dreams. When that happened we did a reassessment of our crew and found them to begin showing signs of having the element in their system. And only if they have been working near certain parts of the ship." Alenkov said.

Bethune signed, "I have been getting additional funding for this project by other universities not just ours. You know as well as I do that the reason that your team is so diverse is because of that funding right?" Bethune stated.

"I also know you have been getting funds from the military as well," Alenkov stated.

"You do know that they found the ship first right," Bethune replied.

"I do, but you also know that they are getting impatient with how slow we are at getting the ship to reveal her secrets right?" Alenkov said.

"I am aware of that and I am also concerned that the pressure is starting to get to the Board of Directors for the project. The U.N. Military is not liking the idea of you using civilian test subjects to; how should I say it, 'turn on the lights," Bethune stated.

Alenkov could only snort at the comment, "Well you know as well as I that we need to make some sort of progress if we are uncover what truly is buried down there."

"So take more precautions next time when choosing your subjects," Bethune stated.

"We are taking as many precautions as we can Jean. We had them checked from front to back and so thoroughly that we memorized every crack on their body. Not even a single bead of seat escapes our notice so how much more do we need?" Alenkov stated.

"Enough so that way the press as well as the United Nations doesn't pull the plug on our project. Remember that if we rush into this we might lose the chance to make further discoveries," Bethune replied before reaching into her desk to pull something out. She then stood up to get ready to leave.

Alenkov did the same when Bethune walked over to her and handed her a flash drive, "This has the latest list of subjects for your research doctor and I suggest you make sure they are mentally sound this time before they board the ship," with that Alenkov turned and headed towards the exit.

As she walked out she pulled out the latest list that Bethune handed to her showing the readings of the latest subjects. Each person had a name and what nation in the Pacific they came from. So far attempts to find other sources of Element Zero on Earth have proven futile. Alenkov then walked out of the building towards her car that would take her out to the hotel. As she drove away from the University her thoughts went out to the project at hand as she pulled into the parking lot for her hotel.

When she entered her room the hotel was clean as it always was when she visits. Going towards the bed she looked at the USB drive that Bethune gave her. Then she looked at her briefcase that she had brought with her from her research station at the Marianas. The Project that she was working on is not classified far from it. It was public knowledge of the research going on deep beneath the ocean. It all started 52 years ago when a United States Navy operation found the vessel while filming the bottom of the trench.

The Trieste found the ship on accident when doing its maiden dive to the Challenger Deep the deepest part of the trench. The trench itself is mostly a silty bottom with small bottom feeders inhabiting it. What they found however led the most highly funded research project in the world. Organizations such as NASA and the RSP have been doing numerous research projects down there. What they uncovered had forwarded technology by leaps and bounds hence the I-Pad.

In the 52 years since its discovery. The alien vessel has been prone to some new insights into aero-technology and psychological research as well. It was found that when they first discovered it the ship was leaking some sort of fluid into the ocean. Upon closer discovery that fluid was full of an element that was not found on Earth. Instead it was found in various asteroids throughout the solar system. Oceanographers also came to the ship to study the sea life that inhabits the area. The changes in DNA proved phenomenal when this element touches the neighboring fish. Having discovered a whole new element they decided to call it Element Zero since it lacks any of the qualities that normal elements have.

Alenkov studied up on the latest finds. One of those finds she is wearing on her arm right now. It was one of the alien devices that was recovered from the research team on the ship. They found the entrance when they sent an RV to investigate about 5 years after it was discovered.

The device is invisible most of the time but when she needs it, it appears as a glowing thing of some sort. She still does not know how it works, but she managed to use it to keep up to date on her research. The alien device was good at a few things, finding bugs was one of them. Before she even sat down and gotten settled she made sure no one was listening.

When she was sure that there was no listening devices or hidden cameras she turned on the device and began imputing the data. The device itself was indeed useful in case someone tries to steal the drive from her. There were not many that were found and only key people on the ship knew about them. The subjects however were not informed.

One thing she failed to tell Bethune about was the other changes that the subjects had gotten after long exposure to the ship. Some of them started having other parts of their brain open up and exuberantly demonstrated minor telekinesis and Telepathy. She was well aware of the changes that her subjects went under and that is why she sent them on shore leave. It was a mistake to leave them onboard as they showed signs of psychotic violence. Most subjects were forced to go home because the changes caused by long exposure to element zero proved to be too much. Those who had the worst cases were admitted into a mental ward for insanity. It was something that Alenkov did not want to repeat.

Looking at her list she was not surprised that most are either from the Philipines or the South Pacific. But the last four subjects surprised her three from Japan and one from the United States. The Japanese she had those before and some Taiwanese and Koreans but an American? Now that is something new. America are on the opposite side of the Pacific and away from the deep sea currents that carry the Element Zero. Unless the American was from Guam or living in one of the Western Pacific countries then they should not have had any exposure to Element Zero.

She will have to look into that one and see if it was any mistake. She looked up the subject and found to her surprise high levels of Element Zero in her DNA. This was largely due to her Polynesian blood and...what is this? She is also of Japanese descent now that explains it. Two distinct groups of people exposed to Element Zero now that is something of a potent mixture if her DNA sample was anything to go by. From what she gathered of the person's psychological profile she has ADHD which makes her not very ideal for candidacy. ADHD is not something she would have considered for such a position. She would have to look into it.

" _Subject's current residence is Kailua Kona, Hawai'i_ _interesting_ _,"_ she said to herself in Russian.

As she typed the keys on her device she looked up psychological reports and was quite concerned for this person being on the list. " _Subject is usually elusive and_ _prefers_ _her own company unless with boyfriend or family members. Also known for mild forms of violence and animal_ _mimicry_ _. Prone to Demophobia so rarely seen at a bar or any social gathering for long. Very artistic and often times seen drawing even when being examined._ _Very concerning_ _"_ she spoke out loud to herself in Russian.

Alenkov closed the list down and sent an email to her associates letting them know the names of the people who are involved. She then began to strip down for a nice long shower and then to bed. She has to catch a flight back to Guam in the morning.

There is still work to be done and what better way to get done then to do it yourself.

 **TBC**

 **There you have it the rewritten version of chapter 1.**

 **I noticed when I was redoing this chapter that there were huge chunks missing that should have been put in. I was not satisfied with how the chapter turned out. I basically had to smooth out several areas of the chapter to make it more seamless. So anyhow what do you think? Please leave a review and no FLAMES, BASHINGS OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! I appreciate constructive criticism, but no flames or hate mail. Those will not be tolerated and will be reported to administration.**


	3. The Woman in the Orange Apron

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: This is a reminder that this is an A.U. Fic that takes place in the year 2012 so no flames and just read the story to get why it was in the Mass Effect section.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1.**

 **Mass Effect: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 2: The Woman with the Orange Apron**

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII

If there is one thing that Martha hates, it is being interrupted by arrogant customers. Especially the one standing in front of her right now lecturing her about his hatred of Monsanto Corporation. She glared daggers at the man as he went on and on about his hatred of G.M.O.'s and other bio-engineered products. Her thoughts were on throttling the man before her; his attitude towards her and her other customers is enough to make her want to scream. To make matters worse, the man was beyond unhygienic. His repulsive appearance was something that Martha wants burned from her memory. To see this man with his beer belly hanging out from his shirt covered in grime from who knows what to his horrible breath, rotting teeth and foul body odor. Her keen sense of smell was going haywire with the nauseous odor, and her eyes started to water as he came closer to her.

"Look, sir, I have no control on what is sent to us. You are going to have to file a complaint to our merchandising department in Atlanta. They are the ones who decide what we do and don't sell," Martha stated to him. "I can even give you their address, email and phone number, if that would help."

The man scowled her, "Well do you have something that is not manufactured by Monsanto?" he demanded, spittle coming from his mouth as he spoke. Martha growled, but she put on a fake smile showing off her pointy canine teeth to her customer. She could feel him getting nervous as she glared at him.

"I told you about three times, sir, we have Spectracide, Othro, and Bayer for weed killers. None are owned by Monsanto, but they are the alternatives. We have some organic products by those companies and we are pretty generalized in what we sell. If you want something more specific, go to Kona Lawn and Garden down the street, or Ace Hardware in Old Industrial," she said.

The man glared at her, his long gray beard made him look like Santa Claus from Hell. Martha could have sworn there was something crawling in it, which made her shudder in disgust. "You could have said something sooner, you fuckin' bitch!" With that, he stormed, out leaving Martha alone with several other people in her aisle.

Martha let out an animistic snarl exposing more of her teeth before taking a deep breath and sighing. The other customers in the aisle quickly made their exit from the short five-foot, three-inch-tall woman. Broad-shouldered and overweight, Martha looks more like a linebacker than a woman. Which was all the same, considering the job she has to do currently. Looking down at the pallet of freight she was trying to work on, she sighed once again before picking up a box of bug spray.

 _This is just another long day,_ she thought as she looked at her cell phone. _Only ten more minutes till break, thank God!_

If only that were the least of her worries.

 **KAILUA KONA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT**

A private plane came to a stop on the southern end of the Kona International Airport. The ramp agent led the plane to its parking spot on the southern most end of the landing ramp, reserved for private jets. It was also home to the inter-island commuter terminal, where those who are traveling to other islands in the Hawaiian Island chain often use.

The Kona International airport is a small airport located about five miles from the main town of Kailua Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i. It is an open-air airport, meaning there are no large terminal buildings that go up several stories. Instead, this airport is single-story, and passengers have to go up long stairway ramps to get to their planes. The downside about it, is the intense desert heat caused by the lava rocks that the airport is built on. This caused the ramp agent to nearly faint from heat exhaustion because there is hardly any shade for them to relax in.

The private plane finally stopped, allowing the ramp agents to immediately get fuel lines out and other cables needed for plane maintenance. When the shutdown routines were finished, the hatch came down, and a woman exited the plane. She wore a light business dress with light-colored high heels. Her blonde hair was quickly blown by the strong sea-breeze that blew past her face. As she neared the end of the stairs that led out of the landing ramp, she could see several men waiting for her. She knew who all of them were: her security detail. They led her away from the plane, towards the airport terminal, and into a waiting vehicle. On the sides of the vehicle, the sigil of the United States government was shown. Her security detail then entered in the front and from the side. There was another vehicle behind the one she entered making sure that security was kept at its highest. Looking out the window, the woman could still see the plane sitting there on the tarmac. She could even hear the security detail go over final checks before departing the airport.

The car then pulled away from the airport, following the long road towards the airport exit to the main highway, where it turned southwards, towards the main town of Kailua Kona. They then made another turn east again after reaching Koloko Industrial Park. There, the driver took them up the hill and down another street till at last, they came to the nation's most famous home improvement retailer...Home Depot.

The stop was uneventful as they pulled up at the entrance doors.

The doors slid open upon their entrance, and with suitcase in-hand, she walked into the store.

The woman turned from the main door to her right. There, a large counter was sitting with the large sign above it marked, 'Service Desk.' Right behind the desk, a single person was standing there, going over some things with another person over the phone. From his conversation and the tone of his voice, the woman knew he was speaking to a customer.

It did not take long before he finally hung up the phone. Turning from the computer he was working on, he was going to the next one to help another customer. He was alone, by himself, with no one to help him. The woman walked up to him anyways. Her two bodyguards stood watch right beside her.

The previous customer noticed the two men right away and backed away from the service desk. The clerk behind was a bit nervous when the woman finally walked up to the counter.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I wish to speak to your Store Manager please, this is a matter of National Security," the woman said and presented her I.D.

The man standing there looked shaken as he picked up the phone and, after he dialed a number, began to speak rapidly into the phone. Nodding to himself, he hung up and turned towards the woman. "He will be here shortly, ma'am, he is with a customer at the moment." The woman nodded and then waited.

A few minutes later, a rather short, balding man approached, his dirty apron a tell-tale sign that he has been working. His appearance alone alerted the woman that he does not often sit behind a desk like a normal manager. Then again, she has no idea how management worked in retail.

"What can I do for you folks?" he asked, his rough southern accent adding to his rough demeanor.

"Mr. Holshue?" the woman asked, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake.

"That would be me," he said.

"I am Alexandria Wilcox, United States Department of Defense, I would like to have a word with you, in private, if that would be appropriate," she said.

Holshue nodded and led the way. The woman and her two bodyguards followed.

The main managers office was the only place away from prying eyes. The HR office had too many places for people to listen in. Holshue ushered the woman to sit while he took a seat behind his desk. The two naval officers stood guard outside the door.

"Now what is this all about?" he asked.

"I come here on behalf of the Pentagon. It is a matter of national security that you need to see," she said, and handed him a file from the brief case.

"What is this?" he asked

"We have been doing extensive searching for possible subjects, who were exposed to a new element that has recently been discovered. Are you aware of Element Zero?" she asked.

Holshue nodded. "Yeah, I am aware of it," he said.

"Do you know of the effects one has when exposed to Element Zero?" Alexandria asked.

"Just the basics; depression, extreme aggression, increased brain activity, heightened senses... The sort of stuff I've read in a National Geographic magazine somewhere, why?" he asked.

Alexandria reached into the briefcase that she brought with her and showed him a photo.

It was a photo of an employee he knows all too well.

"Martha Kahalewai? What do you want with her?" he asked, brows raised in surprise.

Alexandria smiled, "As you are well-aware, there are those who are recently exposed to Element Zero, and then there are those who are born with traces of it in their DNA. Pacific Islanders and Asians are prone to it, Mr. Holshue. Your employee has a high concentration of it, due to the combined DNA of both Asian and Pacific Islander. Because Native Hawaiians are descended from Maori, they have some traces of Element Zero in their system, but due to isolation away from the currents that have it, that exposure has diminished. However because your employee is part Japanese, as well as Native Hawaiian, you have a potent mix. I am surprised she never shown signs of telekinesis," Alexandria said.

"Telekinesis? I should have read those articles more carefully," Holshue replied.

"Telekinesis and telepathy are two sure signs that your employee has the Element Zero in her system. Did you read what it tells you about what it does to the human brain?" she asked.

"Increases brain activity by 50 percent that much I know, and given that the human brain only uses 10 percent of all brain activity that is a huge feat," Holshue replied.

"While the matter of 10 percent is a myth, that is essentially it, yes. Now that we have that settled, I would like to talk about your employee's status at this store," she said, opening up a folder.

It was a copy of a psychiatric readout and it was very thick. "What is this?" he asked, accepting the folder, and beginning to read.

"It is Martha's readouts, she shows strong signs of it even though it was labeled at the time for ADHD. According to this, she has ADHDI, which is a rare form of ADHD, meaning she lacks the really hyperactive portion of the disorder, but she shows the other common symptoms. But, as we dug deeper, and did some testing -which is required for all laboratories- we found that she does have traces of Element Zero in her bloodstream. They were not recent, mind you, so that shows that she was born with it." Alexandria then took back the folder after Holshue was through reading it.

"Why are you here?" Holshue asked suddenly, feeling a bit apprehensive.

"We are here to retrieve her," Alexandria replied.

"You can't do that!" Holshue said, "What about free choice? Doesn't she have a say in all this?" his voice was raised in protest.

"She does, but for her own safety, she will have to be taken in. We will speak to her in a more open room; this room will surely set off her demophobia." Alexandria replied.

"Demophobia?" Holshue asked curious about the statement.

"Fear of crowds, and I am afraid that this room with the three of us in here will set her off." Alexandria stood up.

"The training room then; it is big enough to allow her some space," Holshue said regretfully.

"Having regrets, Mr. Holshue?" Alexandria asked.

"Martha may have been a pain in the ass, but she was one hell of a worker," Holshue sighed as he pulled out his mobile phone.

"Shall we call her in, then, and have this discussion with her?" Alexandria asked.

"I will need to speak to the HR first," Holshue replied, dialing an extension.

"Very well, we will be back in a few hours. That should give you enough time to make preparations." With that, the woman stood up and shook his hand.

She then exited the room, leaving Holshue to put his head in his hands and sigh. "Theresa, I need to see you in my office; it's important," he said with a bit more force than necessary.

MEANWHILE

Martha's phone went off, signaling the time to go to break. Sighing with relief, she got up from her crouched position and rubbed her knees, which ached after heaving heavy bags of fertilizer to their home on the shelf. Sometimes pulling freight sucks, but to her, at least, it offered freedom from annoying customers. Martha stood up, turned off her alarm, and walked away from her post, making sure to keep the aisle clean so no one will have an accident.

Walking towards the other departments Martha made it her mission to be the time keeper and alert her fellow freight associates about the time. Some tend to forget to go to lunch, so she offered herself the job of timekeeper. She walked into the electrical department hoping to find her coworker. It took some time before she spotted her, "Hey Sina, break time!" she called out.

A rather thin, middle-aged, woman looked up from where she was working and then at her watch. "Oh, damn, already?" she said and put her things back in her wagon.

Martha was waiting for her to exit the aisle and walked with her, collecting their coworkers. There was two guys and one more girl that made up the full-timers of the Night Crew. Or what people call the Night Crew, since they no longer worked the graveyard shift.

They walked down to the other side of the building, till, at last, they came to the break room. It was empty, except for at least two people on their lunch break. That much is expected. Martha walked in and retrieved her bottle of water from the fridge. Sina grabbed her snacks, along with the second girl, Jolie. Both of them sat down first, while Mart ran off to the bathroom. When she came back, she took off her glasses and cleaned the particles and smears that appeared on them. Her reddish-brown eyes shone through as she put them back on. Her black Home Depot cap covered her eyes from the ceiling lights. Shoulder-length dark curly hair came crashing down as she undid her cap and her hair band to redo her ponytail. When she was done, she once again took a swig of her water bottle that was on the table.

"I swear to God that if one more person comes up preaching Anti-Monsanto I will strangle them and use their fuckin' corpse for shark bait!" Martha growled.

"You had to deal with that guy too?" Sina asked and Martha nodded.

"Yeah, a bit of an asshole, really. I mean, who would want to hear that dumbass preach about 'Monsanto' this and 'Monsanto' that! Go somewhere else if you want to preach about Monsanto!" Martha said and slammed her fist into the table.

The force of the hit startled everyone there and Martha, feeling sheepish, rubbed her hand where her fist met the table.

"Oops!" she said sheepishly.

"Girlie, do you know how much you shook the table with that!" the woman on the end said.

"Sorry, Chrissy, won't happen again," Martha replied.

"Better not! You nearly broke the table... _again!_ " she stated.

Martha again looked sheepish as she remembered that time. She did nearly break the table, just like she destroyed the padlock on accident at the garden gates, and accidentally clawed up some fine plants when it fell on her. She was clumsy and stronger than most women in the store. The sharp-tongued woman was a stranger among those who grew up in Kona. Her eyes downcat, she continued to drink her water in silence as she looked at the new dent in the table.

Oops!

Looking down at her watch she grinned, "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, Chrissy, but I have to return to work," she said getting up along with Jolie and Sina.

Chrissy only waved as the three women made their way out. Well, two women; Martha had to use the bathroom yet again before returning to work. Sometimes recovering from a bladder infection sucks.

When she returned to work a few minutes later, she could not help but notice the same three people that came in earlier hanging around. They pretended to shop, but years of experience has taught Martha that these guys are no customers; they mean business. Just like the few customers from the Pohakuloa Military Base, they were dressed in military uniforms, and Martha was very observant of their actions. Her past had taught her to be cautious, and that caution was paying off. Her instincts were telling her to be careful. She could feel them watching her just as she was watching them, their eyes never leaving her back as she stocked the store shelves.

It was when her phone beeped yet again for lunch that she finally finish her freight pallet. She then took her trash to the dumpster area to throw in the baler: a large compression machine that smashes down cardboard garbage. It was a slow night tonight and Martha insisted on being done on time this time. No more screaming bosses and having overtime. She then placed the last of her leftover freight in the overhead, glad to have no pallets to go up. At least with the UPS freight, there was only small boxes.

But as she put her stuff up, she could not help but notice that she was still being watched. Lifting a fifty-pound box in the overhead with a ladder was hard enough, but doing it while being watched was annoying. When she placed the box where it should go, she rolled her shoulders and neck and felt the pleasant cracking as her joints popped. Having her back feeling flexible again, Martha made her way down the ladder and towards the break room after collecting her coworkers again.

Just as she was halfway there, " _Martha from freight team to the training room. Martha from freight team to the training room,"_ Holshue's voice on the PA announced.

"Ah shit, what does he want?" Martha grumbled, "It can't be that bad Marty, they might be giving you an award again," Jolie said as Martha changed her direction to that of the training room.

"We'll meet you in the break room," Sina said happily as she entered the break room.

" _Martha from freight team to the training room. Martha from freight team to the training room,"_ the PA announcement went again, and this time, Martha decided to wait and head off to the bathroom.

When she emerged after washing her hands of the dirt and grime, she entered the training room.

She saw Holshue there along with the same three people that had been spying on her earlier, and the Human Resources Manager: an overweight woman named Theresa.

"OK whatever it is, I didn't do it!" Martha said, eyeing the two Navy men and the woman in the middle.

"Have a seat Ms. Kayhelabai, did I get your name right?" the woman said.

Martha glared at her, "No. It's Ka-ha-lei-vai the w sounds like a v," Martha replied, and sat down.

All three of the newcomers watched Martha as she fidgeted with her fingers. She eyed them nervously. The two men were dressed in obvious air-force uniforms. That much she could tell, thanks to her step-brother, who is currently serving in the military. The woman, however, had her intrigued, as she was wearing a light-colored business suit with matching high-heel shoes. Her blonde hair was tied up in a tight business-style bun. She carried herself with a military air to her. Martha knew, right there, that something big was up.

The woman then pulled out a suitcase and opened it. Facing away from her, Martha could not see the contents of the suitcase, but from the amount of time the woman spent pulling her things out, it was not good.

"Alright, Ms. Kahalewai, how are you feeling today?" The woman asked as she closed the suitcase.

"I'm fine, thanks. What is this all about?" Martha asked curiously, as she looked at the woman in front of her.

The woman in question brought up a folder and placed it right in front of her. "Ms. Kahalewai, I am Alexandria Wilcox, I am here on behalf of the Department of Defense and the reason I have you in here concerns National Security." She then looked Martha straight in the eye, which made Martha extremely nervous.

"First off: I am not a hacker, if that is what you are going to ask, and second: I am not stupid, so get to the point," she said, and Holshue glared at her for her disrespectful conduct.

Alexandria merely smiled. "I assure you, it has nothing to do with your computer skills, Martha. We are simply stating that what we have to discuss is a matter of national security, nothing more."

Martha raised one eyebrow, "Really? My skills are only at beginner-level, I assure you, and I am merely a tech, not a programmer. My boyfriend Aaron is more of a program person. I do better with wires than programs."

"Alright then, let's try this differently: What do you know about Element Zero?" Alexandria asked Martha.

"Practically nothing, other than it is a semi-radioactive element that mutates anything it touches with high brain activity. Why?" Martha replied.

"Very perceptive of you," Alexandria replied back. "The reason why I am here and why I asked about Element Zero, is that you yourself have high concentrations of it, and therefore, are a security risk," she said, and at this, Martha raised both eyebrows.

"OK, how is that possible?" Martha asked.

"Do you remember the last time you drew blood, Martha?" Alexandria asked.

"Yeah, about four years ago, why?" Martha replied.

"Because we need to draw a fresh sample to make sure it is a match to the first one, and that there is no mistake." With that, one of the soldiers walked across and grabbed Martha's arm rather roughly.

"HEY!" Martha called out, as he quickly drew a needle and took a quick blood sample.

"What the fuck, man!?" Martha shouted at them.

Alexandria took the sample and put it in a machine, along with what Martha assumed was her old sample. The device was something that Martha has never seen before: It looked like a small watch of some sort, similar to those found on diabetics, only this one needed a larger blood sample. She watched as the blood went into the device. It beeped for a few seconds and then it went silent for a while. The machine beeped a few times again, before the woman's eyes lit up, "A perfect match!" she said.

"What the hell is going on here?" Martha demanded, confused by what is happening in the room.

"Your blood sample, that we took four years ago, contains high amounts of Element Zero in your DNA. We needed to take another sample to confirm it and not see it as another false lead," Alexandria said. Martha glanced at her arm and found the bruise forming from the soldiers hand.

"You could have asked!" Martha all but growled at her.

The other soldier handed Martha a bandage and offered to put it on. Sighing, Martha held out her arm for the soldier to bandage it. He was dark-skinned with Air-Force colors on his uniform. She recognized it from her step-brother's own uniform. The one who put the needle in her also wore Air-Force colors. Unlike his fellow, soldier he remained at attention.

WILCOX POINT OF VIEW

Alexandria watched as the sample was inserted into the analyzer. As the blood went through, it began to give her its' standby sound. The beeping noise that it makes is a sign that it is measuring the amount of Element Zero in one's blood. The girl, Martha, sat before her, holding her arm where the sample was taken. Already, she could see red forming as blood was oozing out. The device signaled it was complete but it suddenly went silent.

 _What the hell?_ Alexandria thought, not believing her eyes. The meter had gone dead for about five seconds, before the amount was formed. At the results, her eyes grew large. As she took in the readings she could only stare at the short, stocky woman before her. _This woman is built more like a football player than a woman! And yet she has some of the highest readings anyone could every imagine._

MAIN POINT OF VIEW

Martha was growing impatient as she watched the woman Alexandria stare wide-eyed at the results. "Look, Jack," she started, referring to Holshue, "I know you have shit you have to do, and I have lunch that I am about fifteen minutes late for, so can we get this over with, so I can enjoy that steak salad that I have in the fridge?" Martha requested. 'Jack' groaned... of course it would be Martha to think about leaving. This many people, he could tell, was making her nervous, and the way she was eyeing the door, he knew her demophobia was starting to seep in.

"Can you wait a bit longer, Martha? The good lady here is nearly finished," Jack said as he rolled his eyes. _The girl is nervous if she is mouthing off like this,_ he thought.

Slowly, Alexandria stood up, and faced the two of them, "I am sorry to say, Martha, but the results here show a direct match," she said. She then showed both Jack and Martha the results, printed out on the portable printer that was established next to the device.

It was a chart with two samples and the dates. Martha's eyes widened at the sample taken of her blood back in 2008 and the sample that was freshly taken. It shocked her to see it: the samples were a direct match.

"No way!" she said leaning back, "This has to be a joke? I don't have that much Element Zero in my blood! Hell, where did that amount even come from?" she started to panic now and stood up, but Holshue quickly put a hand on Martha's shoulder for reassurance and slowly guided her back to a chair to sit down. Taking a seat near a corner helped, as he sat down next to her. Theresa remained where she was, just as stunned as Jack and Martha. Alexandria could only sigh as Martha was clearly taken back by the results.

"Martha, do you remember having any strange sensations? Any at all? Heightened senses, extra strength, telepathy?" Alexandria asked.

"Well, I do have a keen sense of smell and my hearing is above normal, if that is what you are asking?" Martha said.

"Any extra bouts of strength or quickness?" Alexandria asked.

"Well, I am stronger than most of the women here in this store, but I always thought it was because I grew up pulling fishnets and walking up and down a hill with a sixty-pound backpack," Martha replied.

The woman shook her head, "Do you know how much you can lift?" she asked.

"No," was the reply.

"Well then, now that we have the test results done, we shall get to the dirty part of why we are here," she said and the other two managers sat down.

"I am Alexandria Wilcox, head of Biotechnology for the United States Department of Defense, and I work with people like you, with high amounts of Element Zero in their blood," she said, pulling out a folder.

"The reason why I said what I said earlier, is because I want you to be aware, that at any moment, your bio-readings would go off the charts and might do something that can hurt someone in the process. We are here because this is your last occupational establishment," Alexandria explained to Martha.

Martha glared at her, "So let me get this straight; you did that to me to prove that I am a hazard to society? So you can lock me up? Is that it?" Martha asked.

"Actually, no. What we want to do is offer you a job," the woman replied.

Both Jack and Theresa are taken back by this, "What do you mean, 'offer her a job'?" Jack demanded.

"I meant what I said, Mr. Holshue. The government is needing folks like her for the Challenger Deep project," Alexandria replied.

"The Challenger Deep Project? You mean that ship that they found at the bottom of the ocean?" Theresa said, as she, too, tried to see what is the big deal with this.

"Wait! You want me to go to the bottom of the ocean? Are you out of your fuckin' minds!?" Martha demanded, shooting out of her chair in outrage,

"Watch your language, young lady!" Theresa scolded her.

Alexandria held up her hands trying to pacify the situation, "I apologize if I came off as abrupt, Martha, but what we are trying to do, benefits all of us as Americans," she said, lowering her hands. "You see, our government has taken an interest in finding out the problems that Element Zero has on people. Most cases involves cancer during the first generation of findings, and later generations, like yourself, have slight to drastic changes to their DNA: altering your genetic code to the atomic level, causing them to have... 'Adverse side-effects'. My division of the science department of the Department of Defense finds and recruits potential candidates, and helps them to get used to their new abilities." With this, she pulled out an envelope from her suitcase. It was rather thick and Martha read through it.

"So you want me to give up my job, just like that, and go there?" Martha asked.

"Not really. If you need time, we can give it to you, but we need an answer by the end of next week," Alexandria said, as she stood up and shook her hand before starting to walk out. The two officers also stood at attention as Alexandria took her leave.

Martha looked down at the envelope: The instructions were clear on it. She then raised her eyes, noticing how Jack and Theresa both had solemn faces, "She must have some balls to do that to you guys," Martha said to them.

"I'm afraid, Martha, it is more than that," Theresa said, as Martha sat down again.

"Now what?" she asked, confused by this sudden change of behavior.

"I'm afraid that what they told us is true: you do have high traces of Element Zero in your blood. But what she failed to tell you is that, as a company, when the government asks us about any employee with Element Zero, we are forced to give that person up," Theresa said to her.

"You mean you are firing me just because of something I can't control?" Martha demanded, standing.

"Now, we are not firing you," Theresa said, "We are forced to lay you off."

"Bullshit! I have rights, just like any other American!" Martha was now shouting, her teeth fully bared and her eyes gave an eerie red glow to them. Both Jack and Theresa backed away as she glared at them.

"Now, Martha, it isn't like that-" Theresa started, but was interrupted.

"Don't give me that bullshit! You both just wanted to get rid of me because I don't put up with this fuckin' bullshit! I have worked my ass off for five years, and all I get is four write-ups, one PIP, and a final warning because I go to the bathroom more often than I should! Now, when this bitch from Washington D.C. shows up, you both tell me that you are firing me because I am some sort of mutant!" she said.

"Yes, we are laying you off because you are now proving to us that you are a danger to this company, and to society in general" Jack said, getting some of his confidence back.

"Well, you know what? FUCK YOU!" With that Martha marched out the door and slammed, it shattering the glass, with the shards falling to the ground in pieces.

Storming into the break room, she slammed the door again, causing that door to shatter, and grabbed her food from the fridge. Then, the backpack that was plugged into the wall, and clocked out; punching the wall in the process. She was soon followed by Jack and Theresa to the bewilderment of her coworkers.

She marched out into the dark night, startling her boss and her other coworkers who demanded to know what happened.

"Martha what's going on!?" her boss Jowell yelled, his Filipino accent clearly evident as he walked after Martha.

"What!?" Martha shouted at him, her voice was quivering from her shock.

"Why are you going to your car with your bag? And what happened?" he asked.

"If you just saw Jack and Theresa they fired me because I am some sort of mutant," Martha said between sobs.

"Mutant?!" he asked, stunned.

"Yes, those military goons you probably saw earlier forced Jack to fire me because of my DNA. So now you are stuck three short, so fuck off," Martha said, and with that she stormed into her car and started the engine.

Jowell watched as she peeled away in her old ford focus. That will be the last time he ever saw her again.

TBC


	4. The Abuse of Power

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: This is a reminder that this is an A.U. Fic that takes place in the year 2012 so no flames. You have been warned!**

 **Warning Author Insert**

 **MASS EFFECT THE IMMORTAL SERIES PART 1; FLIGHT OF THE NORMANDY**

 **Chapter 3: The Abuse of Power**

HILTION HAWAIIAN VILLAGE, WAIKOLOA, HAWAII

" _Was that really necessary, Alexandria? The girl is a civilian, not some sort of terrorist!"_ said Dr. Alenkov on the phone. Her voice sounded rather agitated at hearing the report Alexandria had submitted.

"I am sorry ma'am, but the girl was being difficult, so I had to do what is necessary to bring her in," Alexandria stated.

" _By forcing her employer to have her fired! Are you stupid!? Remember: the United States has labor laws, and if she were to go after them..."_ Alenkov stated on the other end.

"She won't," Alexandria replied calmly, _"How do you know?"_ Alenkov asked sounding skeptical.

"Because she is rather prideful and predictable. I know her type, she'd rather just suck it up than seek help from any government entity. I've read up on her profile. Two of her younger step-brothers are criminals and the third is in the military. She's got four sisters -two are married, and the other two are still in elementary school- and one half-brother in junior high. Someone like that, who comes from a low income family, will not go complaining to the government about their problems. Don't worry, doctor, she will come to us." With that, Alexandria cut off the conversation.

Alexandria smiled as she hung up the phone. Her wording could not come as any more confident than it did. She loosed her hair from her bun, and slowly took off her bath robes, before lowering herself into the hot tub. Allowing her muscles to relax, she smiled at the thought of ruining someone's life to get the job done.

 _Damn Biotics_ she thought.

OCEAN ODYSSEY, OFF THE COAST OF THE MARIANA'S

Alenkov sighed as she looked at the phone in her hand. As much as she wanted to crush the thing, she knew she could not. It was government-issued, so she was unfortunately stuck with it. She does not like some of the methods that Alexandria uses to bring people onboard. Half of what she does is questionable and other half downright immoral. But Alenkov had to admit, it gets the job done. The amount of recruits that she receives is phenomenal and the results are ecstatic. The only thing she does not like about Alexandria's methods is the questionable route. Sometimes, she gets in test subjects that are wanted by other countries. Either that, or she bribes the government officials to arrest them, and force them to come to the Challenger Deep. Either way, they become Alenkov's problem, and she tries to make it where they can at least see their families.

She turned towards the two new recruits in front of her. They are the subjects from Japan. She remembered Bethune's list well as she looked at their names. Checking them off, she looked up to see the two students, eager to meet up with her. Her two subjects that had recently come voluntarily from Japan were students at the University of Tokyo. As they looked up at Alenkov, she could see the enthusiasm that they both shared at the opportunity to study the vessel deep beneath the sea.

" _ **I am Dr. Elena Alenkov. Welcome to the Challenger Deep Project,"**_ she said in perfect Japanese. They both bowed to her as she led them towards the two minisubs that would take them down.

KAILUA KONA HAWAII

Aaron Stene watched his girlfriend, as she showed her rage by screaming at the top of her lungs. Her scream sounded like Godzilla on a rampage; that is how angry she was. Martha normally keeps her composure, but tonight, after she called him to tell him what happened, he rushed down to where she said she would be thinking that she might try killing herself. Driving down to a public beach park known as Old Airport, Aaron was afraid he might be there to see the worst. But when he got there, he saw that she had not killed herself, nor had she considered it. She just wanted to listen to the sound of the ocean and cool off for a bit. Even if that meant listening to her shriek loudly.

After hearing her shrieking he heard her sobbing. That, in turn, made him angry, and he wanted to rush over to Home Depot and beat the crap out of her supervisors, or at least yell at them till their ears are shot.

But Martha warned him to stay away from them; she showed him the contract that Alexandria had given her. He read through it and looked at the test results that were given. He was shocked and amazed that such a woman could be so cruel to anyone. He looked to Martha, but her eyes were on the ocean, looking at the now-setting sun. It was still summer, so the sun wouldn't set till around seven in the evening. The Old Airport Park would be closing soon.

"Mart... do you know what they are asking you?" he asked softly, his mind reeling at what was written.

"Yeah. Basically, I am their science experiment," Martha replied without looking at him.

"They are asking you to travel to the other side of the Pacific and be part of their team," he said

"I don't want to be part of their team; I want to be here with you," she said, distraught; the sounds of sniffling could be heard.

"You make it sound like you have no choice," Aaron stated.

"That is just the thing: I don't. Now that everyone knows I am some sort of mutant, that bitch made it so that I can't get hired anywhere else. So the only option left is to accept the job. I don't want to, Aaron!" she said as she started to cry.

He embraced her, "Those bastards just want you to be their science experiment! If you decide to go I just want you to know that I will be waiting for you here," he said and kissed her gently.

"I know you are...It's just...I'm scared," Martha replied. Aaron held her even tighter, afraid to let her go.

A FEW DAYS LATER

Aaron and Martha sat at her apartment, looking at her paperwork again. They tried for the fifth time to get Martha a job, and each time they tried, they were always turned down. What made matters worse was that all the job sites seemed to get the same memo. It seems as if the government was forcing her to take their job offer by preventing her from getting a job elsewhere. To Martha, that is unfair, and Aaron knows it, because they are trying to force her to sign on to this job. All he could do, was offer support, even though her cash was slowly running out. She just spent the last six hundred dollars on rent. That alone was sending alarms to Aaron's mind, because she only had enough till the end of the year for the rent, and not much else afterward.

Hell, she didn't even have enough for food.

Sighing, he looked through the paperwork again, and found that the amount of money being offered by the United Nations for doing this job was quite high. They also offered medical insurance, which Martha needed the most. Her face showed her fatigue as she tried again to log into a job site to apply for a job...even if just to be a janitor. Her fingers were sluggish as she typed in her information for the umpteenth time. Dark circles had made their mark on her face, and from the way her head was drooping, she was nearing her breaking point.

"Mart we have no more options left! There's only two days left before you are to report your answer to that lady. No one in Kona is going to hire you...hell, no one in Hilo, Waimea, and anywhere else is going to hire you because of the fact that you have Element Zero in your blood." Aaron said worriedly.

He had never seen Martha so broken before, so depressed. He knew the woman who was once proud of doing her own accomplishments; working hard to achieve her goal. She was happy for the way things were because it was something she had done without help. It made her feel like she had earned her accomplishments, and it made him smile to see her so happy. Now, however, she's being shunned for fear of her new found abilities, that she never once demonstrated. She had fallen from her mountain, and he tried to help pick up the pieces. Her glasses slipped from her nose and he watched her unconsciously use her finger to push them back up again. He could see the tears flow from her eyes; It was depressing to see her so broken.

He could only hope that they can find a solution.

WAIKOLOA, HAWAII

Alexandria was proud of herself. Using her power as a government official, she was able to hack into several job sites to inform them of Martha's potential Biotic Powers, telling them about her high levels of Element Zero, and her potential to be violent. It was proving to be a success. Her bank accounts were easy to hack into as well showing the money in her savings and checking accounts dwindling slowly. Soon, the woman would have no choice but to sign the papers.

" _Don't you think that is just a bit much Alexandria?"_ a voice asked, and Alexandria turned to her open laptop to see the face of an American Military man on the screen.

"General Willson. Pleasure as always," Alexandria greeted him.

" _Agent Wilcox. I wish the feeling was mutual,"_ Willson said his voice is grim.

Alexandria raised a delicate eyebrow at the screen, "What has you calling me at this hour, General?"

" _It has come to my attention, Agent Wilcox, that you had used your powers of authority to force a retail company to fire one of their employees. Is that true?"_ The General was not too amused at receiving the report. Alexandra only smiled before she leaned back and crossing her legs.

"I was doing what was necessary to obtain the target sir," Alexandria replied calmly.

" _She is a civilian, not a military target, Wilcox,"_ the General replied.

"The target has very high levels of element zero in her DNA. I am surprised she has not shown signs of psychic changes. There are minor physical ones, but not so much in the psychic department. By forcing her to come to us, we can assure the science teams that Martha will be ready for research." she said, looking smug.

" _Research? She is a human being, not an animal, Wilcox! You need to remember that the next time you are going after a potential volunteer. There are international laws, as well as local laws, that protect civilians from this sort of act. If you get caught, I can't help you,"_ the General replied, his voice showing his annoyance at Alexandria.

"Who says I have to play by the rules? We need someone like her. Besides, I've already gotten the two other candidates without too much trouble," Alexandria replied.

" _That is because they are drowned in their government's propaganda about how joining this expedition will help improve their status. As for your current subject, we don't want her being tipped off by your risky actions. You need to be more careful when extracting people, because not everyone is as lenient as I,"_ the General stated.

"I am careful, General. At least I can use my hacking skills to ensure that Martha does not get a job. By forcing her to not be able to get a job, I can get her to eventually come to us out of desperation," Alexandria replied.

" _I still don't like your methods. This is to remain off the records,"_ he said before cutting the connection.

"Yes General," Alexandria replied as she closed the laptop and sighed.

KAILUA KONA HAWAII

Martha was at wit's end. No one in Kona was offering her work, and her financial savings ran out. It seemed as if everyone in Kona refused to hire her. Despite her résumé or credentials, she could not land a decent job. She was so desperate, she was forced to have dinner at Aaron's place, because she no longer had money to buy food. As broke as she was, she was not so desperate as to sell her body into prostitution on the streets of Ali'i Drive, or beg for money from the tourists. She had too much pride in herself for that.

As she sat in her apartment, she looked down at the papers in front of her. It was already Thursday, and tomorrow was the day she had to give her answer to the woman, Alexandria. Aaron put his hand on her shoulder, offering her support, as she finally gave in, and took a pen and wrote her name on the dotted line. She hated giving in so easily and she felt like she was signing away her soul.

Aaron stood with her as she reread her contract. She had not had any contact with her fellow former coworkers or her so called friends. They had been forbidden from speaking to her from what she could tell. No one wants to be around a potential biotic; they were a danger to society. She also heard the chatter on facebook about her and the rumors going around. At least she still had some good friends who kept in touch with her everyday. She told them that she finally signed the papers, seeing as she could not find a job in time, and her week-and-a-half was up. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the bathroom, to get ready for bed. For tomorrow, she has to meet Alexandria at the address she was told to meet her. Feeling a sob escape her, she succumbed to uneasy sleep.

THE NEXT DAY

Alexandria waited patiently for Martha to show up. Bubba Gump's restaurant was the only place close to the ocean, where she felt that Martha would be most comfortable. She looked across at Hugo's on the Rocks and saw that it was too rich and expensive for her tastes. This place was more down-to-earth and worn. It was someplace where Martha would feel less crowded. She took a table that was closest to the exit from the ocean side: something that would deter her demophobia, and allow Martha to be at ease when the transaction was complete. Her plans to ruin the woman in a week was a reality and she smirked to herself, as Martha was seen from the door to the restaurant.

 _Perfect,_ she thought.

OUTSIDE BUBBA GUMP'S

Martha stood outside, her body shaking slightly from all the people around her, but she kept her composure. Aaron had to work that day, and she was forced to do this alone. The hostess was there to greet her as she approached, "Hello, do you have reservations today?" she asked, "Um, I am here to meet someone," Martha said. The woman looked at her, and then down at her list.

"Can I have your name?" she asked.

"I'm Martha Kahalewai."

"One moment please." The woman then looked back down at her list. She ran her hand over her tablet for any early reservations. Her finger was working rather quickly, till at last, she found what she was looking.

"Are you here with an Alexandra Wilcox?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, I was supposed to meet her here," Martha replied as she looked around.

"Your friend arrived just before you did, right this way please," she said, and led her inside to where she could see Alexandria.

 _At least she is by an exit door,_ Martha thought as she sat down on the other side with her papers in-hand.

"Ah, Martha, so good to see you," Alexandria spoke, her dark red lipstick shining in the sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the tree outside.

Martha saw how she was dressed for business, while she was dressed in nothing more than an old pair of faded jean shorts and a threadbare t-shirt. She handed the papers over to Alexandria, and her glowering look did not go unnoticed.

Alexandria quickly took the papers into her hand and read through them." Everything seems to be in order," she said

"Yes, thanks to you I had no other choice!" Martha said through gritted teeth, but that made the woman smile even more pleasantly.

"You don't have to worry yourself too much, Martha, soon you will be with others like you, and will be well-paid. It is better than being paid a lousy worker's wage, filling shelves all day," Alexandria said.

"I bet you never worked a labor job in your life," Martha said, as the waitress appeared with drinks in hand.

She poured them some water before leaving with their orders. Martha had chosen a salad while Alexandria had a grilled steak. She had to admit, even with a week's worth of hardship this woman had a strong spirit. It was no wonder that she never gotten any psychic abilities; maybe she unconsciously held herself back, who knows.

When the waitress arrived with their food, the table was silent as they ate and Alexandria paid the bill.

"Since you signed your life away, I might as well give you the details about what you are going to be doing," she said, pulling out a folder after their plates had been cleared, and the waitress tipped handsomely.

She then handed Martha the envelope that held all the information that she would need. "You will leave here tomorrow on a private jet that is scheduled to leave at noon. All your things will be placed in storage, except for your computer and things you will need for your trip. I believe that you are an artist, is that correct?" she asked.

At Martha's nod, she continued, "I have a few sketch books also, along with your more personal items. Aaron will have the key to your storage unit and everything is paid for by the government. I have made arrangements for you at the hotel King Kamehameha and a taxi will pick you up in the morning. Any questions?" she asked.

"Can I at least say goodbye to Aaron and my family before then?" Martha asked.

"You only have tonight to speak to them, and then in the morning, your plane departs where your cell phone has no service," she said, smirking.

"Thanks for the tip," Martha grumbled while muttering curses under her breath.

"I will also be briefing you on what is to come," Alexandria said.

"I hate you for ruining my life, you know that," Martha spat. To add emphasis she, hacked a glob of saliva into the ocean, much to the disgust of other restaurant patrons.

"Now, now, there is no need for that." With that, Alexandria stood up and made her way out, leaving Martha to finish her lunch.

Martha watched her leave, and as much as she wanted to punch the woman in the face, her bodyguards could easily take her down. She watched as they left their post just outside of the restaurant, and followed her to the car that was waiting on the street. Standing up, she went towards the bathroom to wash her hands, and then headed out herself. Her car was parked just outside the public library and she wanted nothing more than to be out of there.

LATER THAT NIGHT

Martha hung up the phone and sighed. She had talked to her sister back on Molokai, and it turned into a rather lengthy conversation. She spoke to each and every member of her family, including her cousin, in Hilo, on the other side of the island. She was not happy about it, but she was told to say her goodbyes. Aaron had been another lengthy conversation, and they both spoke about it over dinner at Big Island Grill, which was just down the street from King Kamehameha Hotel.

It was a rather sad affair, seeing as he insisted on paying the bill. Martha spent the last of her money on her college loan payment. Fortunately, it was the last one, before the government took over the payments. She did not like having to answer to bill collectors.

"So, I guess this is goodbye, then," Aaron said as he dropped her off at the hotel.

"I can still e-mail you on facebook," Martha said, trying to sound enthused.

"Will you tell me what is going on then?" he asked.

"Yeah, if I have the time. According to Alexandria, they are going to be doing some extended research into their new guinea pig," Martha said before kissing Aaron goodbye.

SOMETIME LATER

Martha was standing in her hotel room overlooking the ocean. The dark waters were churning and spewing foam into the sky. It was something she thought she'd have to live with. But now, from what she was forced to do, she has to dive beneath it. The bottom was no place for someone like her. She heard from Alexandria that they got some cold weather clothes for her to wear while down there. She was not so sure she would like the cold so much, but she had little choice in it.

She had read about it online: The discovery of the alien vessel at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. The ship was around 325 million years old. It was the source of much of the technology today, from iPads to portable computers and cell phones. Or, at least, the inspiration for them. The vessel itself answered many questions about whether man was alone in the universe. It proved that aliens existed in the universe – that much they could deduct pretty quickly. It was where the problems with element zero started, because they found an area where the engines were leaking. From what she read, that leak had stopped over the years with some repairs to It, but the source was too dangerous to handle. The local wildlife was unaffected by it, but it proved some theories about certain species in the ocean. Deep diving dolphins, for example, have a very high concentration of it in their DNA, so it proves that their intelligence came from an unlikely source.

Or, so the scientists argued.

Then, there was the fact, that she would be alone in this mission. No family, no friends, no Aaron... she was on her own. Being forced to do this by a cunning bit- _woman,_ in a high government position, spoke volumes on what is going on. Even if Martha wanted to sue Alexandria, she could not, because from what she read on the woman, she has diplomatic immunity, meaning: she is untouchable.

And that is what pissed Martha off the most.

Sighing, she closed the window to her penthouse suite and returned to her room. Closing the door, she was surprised that Alexandria would go this far to give her some luxury. It was just too bad she couldn't share it with someone. The fancy room did not feel right to her, considering it was effectively her indoor prison till tomorrow morning. Looking at the time, she walked over to the bed. Having already showered and dressed in her sleeping clothes, she crawled into the overly soft mattress, and slowly closed her eyes into an uneasy sleep.

THE NEXT MORNING

The next morning, Martha awoke to the sound of her phone alarm going off. It was about 4 a.m. Groaning, she got out of bed and made her way towards the bathroom. She dreaded her flight, which was just two hours away.

After using the facilities and washing her face, she was certain that whoever made for her flight to be that early is insane. The flight from Kona to Guam would take about ten hours, so she had to catch the early flight out. Getting out of the bathroom she, was dressed and her toiletries and sleeping clothes were packed in her bag. Everything was ready, so she ordered breakfast to her room. Since she cut out on the rice and carbs she ate a salad and some steak. She then walked down to check out of the hotel and proceeded to wait for her cab.

She did not have to wait long since the cab was already there at about five o'clock. Getting in, she was surprised by the driver.

"Auli'i?" she said

The driver-who is dark skinned Native Hawaiian woman-turned around. "Martha?" she said in surprise.

Martha waved to her. "Yeah, last time I checked that would be me," she said. Auli'i pulled out of the hotel, her tab off on 'paid', meaning that someone already paid the taxi. Just as they pulled into traffic, Auli'i began to mutter away: "Fuck! When my boss phoned me to pick up some government personnel I did not know it was you," she said, sounding excited.

"Yeah, I was kinda forced into it," Martha replied, looking sadly out the window, watching the cars go by one last time.

"Shit, you too?" Auli'i replied back.

"What do you mean 'you too?'" Martha asked, turning around, surprised.

"I had a cousin who was asked to be part of whatever it was the government had in mind. Some woman comes to him at his work site, and offers the job; says he has element zero in his blood. I have to admit I was wondering about the whole 'read your mind' thing he has. But anyways, the guy was fired that day, and his life ruined. I had not heard from him in over two years. Then, he came back and he was messed up! Took him another five to recover. Kept having to visit a psychiatrist, because he kept hearing voices," she said.

Martha turned her head to face her friend, "Yeah the same shit happened to me too, except the part about the voices. I guess that comes later."

Auli'i turned onto the main highway, heading towards the airport. The long drive from the hotel to the main highway is ten minutes. When the light turned green, her car sped down the road to join the flow of traffic.

"Why do you have element zero in your blood?" she said.

"Alexandria said that I have a very high concentration of it; the highest yet. I don't know why, but she thinks that because I lack all the symptoms, it is something of note for studying," Martha replied.

Auli'i was stunned, "Damn it, girl! And here I thought I was fucked up. I bet she made you break up with Aaron," she said.

"No, I am too stubborn for that so we decided to message each other on facebook," Martha replied as they reached their second stoplight.

"So how much do I owe you after you drop me off," Martha said.

"Don't worry about it! The tab is already paid for, so you are basically riding for free," Auli'i replied.

"I wanted to live like anyone else and this is all I get! What did I do to piss off the higher-ups?" Martha said in exasperation as she leaned back in her seat.

"I have no idea, but we are nearing the exit," Auli'i replied as Martha spotted the last traffic light before the airport.

Auli'i turned in to the airport, but at the intersection, instead of turning right to the main terminals, she turned left to the private hangars. The sun had just started to rise when she pulled over. Martha exited the taxi and gave Auli'i a hug, before grabbing her stuff, and headed towards the two waiting Navy guards. The duffle bag was not that heavy to her, but to someone who was not working out, it probably was.

She walked towards the guards, who escorted her to the plane. The deafening sound of engines running was all she needed to know that the plane was ready to leave. Checking her phone, it was already a quarter-to-six, so she was on time. Somewhat to her surprise, she found the plane to be quite spacious inside. Indeed, the stewardess greeted them as she took a seat facing the rear of the plane. Her allergies from the VOG were in full swing as she sat down. Right across from Martha, smiling like it was Christmas day, was none other than Alexandria Wilcox.

"Ah, good to see you this morning Martha, glad you can make it," Alexandria said from her seat.

"Good morning to you, too, cheerful," Martha grumbled.

"Now that we are no longer in the eye of the public, I can fill you in on your real role on this trip," she said and opened her iPad.

"The real reason why you are here, is to serve a purpose, and that is to help us further our research into alien technology." she said, handing Martha the iPad.

"Why me?" Martha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The technology down at the ship only activates to those possessing element zero in their blood. It seems to be the lifeblood of all things alien. We have gathered people from all around the world, offering them money to help further our advancement into the future," she said.

"You mean force them work with you by ruining their lives," Martha replied; her voice was harsh.

"I do whatever is necessary to make them come to me," Alexandria replied back, her voice was calm and serene.

"Alright, fine, we will play your game, so what do I have to do?" Martha asked begrudgingly.

"All you have to do is turn something on when one of the scientists asks you to. That is all. When we get to Guam, I will leave you there at the airport. You are to wait at the terminal for a man named Enrique: he will be your guide to the helicopter that will take you to the _Ocean Odyssey_. That is the research vessel that oversees supplies to and from the alien vessel. You will rest there for a day, before you make the dive to the Challenger Deep," Alexandria said.

"And where will you go?" Martha asked curiously. _Probably to ruin someone else's life,_

"Washington D.C., to report to my superiors of my latest recruitment," she said.

Martha said no more after that. She stared out the window as the plane took off down the runway and into the open sky. She watched as her home became smaller and smaller as they traveled away from Hawai'i Island towards the open ocean. Martha's last thoughts of home were of the one person that made her life worth living.

TBC

 **A/N: Whew! That was rough going through everything and rewording it. I never knew I made that much mistakes ever. Incase you are all wondering yes I do have a beta and this person is a HUGE help. I want to give a big shoutout to my beta reader you help has been humongous in getting this story the way I wanted to portray it.**

 **Now in case you are wondering I will be trying to post a chapter as soon as I get it back from my Beta. I also started a new job so postings will be sporadic until I get everything settled down as far as life goes. But since most of the feed backs I had been getting are good I will continue on with the rewrite.**

 **Until next time and remember to please leave a review and now, BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, AND FLAMES PLEASE! This is an A.U. Author insert fic so have fun!**


	5. To the Challenger Deep

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: This is a reminder that this is an A.U. Fic that takes place in the year 2012 with an author insert so you have been warned.**

 **I also want to give a HUGE shoutout to Schazmen for helping me out with proofreading and getting the grammar errors fixed. It was a BIG help much Mahalo's to you.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 4: To the Challenger Deep**

HAGATNA, GUAM

It was about the late afternoon when Martha was awoken by the jolt of the plane's landing gear. She slowly opened her eyes to find that the tropical settings looked more Asian than American, so she knew that she was in Guam. She looked out the window, seeing the earth rise even further as the plane settled; the trees and buildings flowing past at rapid speed as the plane sped down the runway. She could also see that the height of the treeline is lower compared to the city of Hilo and the buildings were not as numerous or tall as Hawai'i's capital of Honolulu. She could feel the plane slowing as it neared the terminal, and the growing sense of nostalgia began to form in her gut.

The plane came to a stop at a private terminal, where a ladder was set out to greet the crew. The door to the plane was opened, allowing all passengers to depart. Alexandria stayed while Martha left the plane. The hot winds of the southern summer were well underway.

 _Feels like home_ , she thought as the tropical weather touched her face.

As Martha walked out of the baggage claim with her bags, she noticed a man standing alone next to a Jeep Cherokee. The Cherokee was black with the logo for the United Nations on its doors. He walked towards her, his pace relaxed and slow. When he got close enough, he stretched out his hand.

"Greetings," he said with a slight Spanish accent, "I am Enrique. You must be Martha; it is a pleasure," he said.

Martha took his hand and his eyes widened at her grip, "Geez, _senorita,_ you have quite the grip!" he said.

Martha was sheepish as she pulled her hand away. Rubbing his hand, Enrique turned towards the plane to see Alexandria standing there on the staircase, and his face turned into a scowl. Turning to look at Martha, he knew exactly what happened. Martha's expression was all he needed to know just why she is here. He has seen it too many times beforehand.

"Come, Martha, I think it is time we leave this airport and find someplace for you to freshen up, yes?" Enrique said as he helped take Martha's bags (which is surprisingly light) and headed towards the Jeep, putting them in the back. Turning around, he saw that Martha followed him at a slower pace than he would have liked. But then again, most newcomers that arrived always had the same reaction. However, he could tell when there are those who need a bit more convincing than others. He assumed that Martha is the same.

When they got to the jeep, Enrique opened the door and allowed Martha to get in first, before he got into the driver's seat. Within moments, they had left Alexandria behind, and the tension eased a little. Martha's discomfort, not as much, but Alexandria being further away every second helped. It was when they had gotten onto the main highway that Enrique started a conversation, hoping to get Martha to warm up to him.

"I see you had to deal with that bitch Alexandria," he said with a smile. All he saw was the look of rage on Martha's face - her glasses could not hide the fire that burned from within those dark brown orbs. Enrique had to swallow the saliva in his throat at this, but still he kept the smile, though it was now more of a sheepish one.

"I hate that bitch more than anything right now," Martha replied, her voice sounding more like a growl.

"I know, _senorita -_ I have to deal with her too. She is a pain to deal with and her methods...let's just say that she and the director don't get along OK," Enrique replied. When he looked towards Martha, she showed little interest in keeping a conversation, so Enrique let it drop, as they neared another part of the airport. Enrique grew worried as they neared the helipad where they were going to take the helicopter to their destination. Martha refused to respond to him until they drove up the helipad. The helicopter that they would be riding was actually very large: It was an old **Westland Sea King** , an amphibian helicopter, which Martha found interesting because instead of military colors, it bore the colors of the United Science Foundation. The motors were already warming up when she neared and Enrique had to show her how to board by ducking down. Martha threw her backpack on and held onto her bag. She ran up the ramp to board the helicopter.

She was given a headset so she could talk to Enrique and filter out the white noise - it was a relief to her ears. When she looked up she saw that Enrique looked highly amused.

"I can tell you've never ridden a helicopter before," he said smiling,

"Nope," Martha replied.

"I hope you like it," he said

"Do we always travel by helicopter to where we are going?" Martha asked

"Yes, it is the fastest way to get supplies and crew there. The _Ocean Odyssey_ is like a floating research station: It is a huge ship, and the constant need for people like yourself has made it hard for the ship to help the people down below, so we use the helicopter to ferry them in along with medical supplies and other smaller goods," Enrique replied.

Martha jolted upwards as she felt the helicopter start to lift off. The feel of gravity under her was amazing as she was then propelled towards the ocean. She watched as land started to disappear and the turbulent ocean came into view once more.

"How long till we get there?" she asked, looking back at the disappearing shoreline.

"Two hours, but if you have any questions, let me know, and I will try help you the best I can," he said.

"Alright, so what do I do when I get off?" Martha asked, finally looking to Enrique again.

"You will spend the next forty eight hours resting on the Ocean Odyssey, to get over the jet lag. We need you in top shape before you can make the dive. Doing a dive while tired can cause serious problems," Enrique replied.

"Don't tell me you expect me to drive the sub down there?" Martha said,

"Hell no!" Enrique laughed. "We have qualified drivers to do that. It is just that the pressure will get to you more when you are tired and your mind does not have time to prepare, so we have you rest up. That way, when you make the dive you are mentally ready for it."

"Oh," was Martha's reply.

"Is there any other questions you would like to ask before we get to the ship?" Enrique inquired.

"Alexandria said I was supposed to meet a woman named Alankov?" Martha tried to pronounce the name right.

"Dr. _Alenkov_ is the head researcher in charge of the program, _senorita_. She is a nice lady and does not like Alexandria much. She is forced to deal with her on part with the United States Military," Enrique said.

"I take it she and Alex don't get along very well," Martha said, smirking, finally starting to lighten up.

"Nope," was the reply.

"So tell me, do I meet her on the ship or afterwards?" Martha said.

"You will meet her when you reach your destination. She was supposed to meet you on the ship, but that got delayed due to an emergency down below," Enrique said.

"Oh," was Martha's reply.

Enrique watched as she stared out the window at the ocean below. "You know that Guam sits at the edge of the Trench right," he said

"Yeah, I have an ocean map in storage that I used to have over my bed," Martha replied.

"Cool, where did you get it from?" Enrique asked, curious, trying to see if he can get her to reveal more about herself.

"National Geographic: they have the best maps," Martha replied.

"I always loved their photos, especially with the different cultures in them," he said.

"I liked the animals and scenery pics myself," Martha replied, easing up a bit.

"Nature freak?" he asked.

"Artist, there is a difference, and yes a nature freak," Martha replied.

" _We are approaching final vector: all passengers, please keep your seat belts fastened upon approach,"_ Came the voice of the pilot and Martha, luckily, did not move from where she sat.

She then turned towards one of the small ports alongside the helicopter, and saw for herself what was waiting for her.

The ship was huge! It had to be as big as those factory vessels she saw on T.V. It was anchored just off the left side of the helicopter, and judging from the rough seas, it was going to be a rough landing. A sudden gust of wind had everyone holding onto their seats as the helicopter came for a landing on the rear of the vessel. It is where it would receive the least amount of spray and the least amount of rocking. As the helicopter landed on the helipad, Martha quickly made her exit.

The only people to greet her were the ground crew working to secure the helicopter for landing. Enrique led her down below-deck, where the weather wouldn't get to them. It was fortunate for Martha that most of her life was spent as a fisherman's daughter, so rocking boats were no problem for her.

Enrique skipped the tour, and guided her to where she'd be sleeping, various crew members greeting her along the way. When he opened the door for her, he waited till she was settled, before addressing her.

"Ok _Senorita,_ I have to leave you for now. If you are hungry, the mess hall is just down the hallway on the right. I have to report to the captain," he said, and Martha was left alone.

She stood in the hallway, looking looking totally lost, but only for a moment, before she shrugged to herself, and placed her bags on the bed in her temporary room. Walking out, she made her way towards the mess hall as her stomach began to protest for lack of food. As she entered the mess she was greeted by various people – most, she assumed to be scientists. Feeling rather nervous as her demophobia began to kick in, she sat down near the door, a feeling of security when she is near an exit was good enough for her. Taking off her glasses she began to dig into her food, which was some sort of fish.

She ate in silence, enjoying the solitude- "Hi you must be new I am Hilary," -until that friendly, girly voice.

Martha grated her teeth at the pitch of her voice. It reminded her too much of a coworker back in Kona, whose whiny voice grated her ears. Slowly, Martha looked up to find a rather dark skinned girl with a very curvy appearance. Raising an eyebrow, Martha had to stare at the woman's hazel eyes.

"Oh I did not realize that you were a girl!" the voice changed pitch to a lower, more tolerable, tone.

"That is OK," Martha replied after swallowing her food.

"Sorry about the bullshit intro, then," the girl said, and Martha reached for her glasses, putting them on to get a better look at the girl.

"Oh I am sorry I did not know you need them to see," the girl said as she sat down with her plate in hand.

"Not a problem, I did not know I was at the butt end of the jokes," Martha replied.

"I was told that we were getting another guy coming; they did not tell me that you were a girl," she said.

"Don't worry, I get that a lot," Martha said.

The girl could really stare at her as she ate her food, "You don't talk much, do you?"

"No, I do when I get to know you. Other than that, I am pretty quiet," Martha replied. "...and I just got here, so I am pretty tired,"

"Oh," was the reply from Hilary.

"By the way the food was good," Martha said as she stood up to get another bowl.

"You sure are hungry," Hilary said as Martha filled her plate again before eating,

"I haven't eaten all day, Alexandria never offered me anything and she made sure the stewardess on the plane never did either" came the reply.

"Alexandria Wilcox? That twisted government agent? She is such a bitch! I really hate her," Hilary said and Martha could not help but smile while she ate.

"I knew you can smile," Hilary said, but when Martha looked up she kind of backed off.

"What?" Martha asked,

"Nothing, I just... noticed that your teeth are rather pointy," Hilary replied.

"It runs in the family," Martha replied to her.

Hilary watched her eat her food with a gusto and figured that she wanted something for dessert, so she got up and grabbed a bowl of ice cream. Taking two bowls, she sat down, but not before she was joined by Enrique, who had returned from the captain's office. Grabbing a plate, he sat down by Martha and Hilary, figuring that Martha would need a familiar face to feel more comfortable. He noticed that she was near the door, instead of where the others are and was well aware of her demophobia. At least with just two people, she was comfortable.

"Hello again, _senorita,_ how is ship life?" he asked.

Martha looked up at him when she finished her ice cream, "It is alright I guess, at least the food is good," she said.

"How can you eat while the ship is rocking? Most of us are sick," a voice said and a rather pale man with thick glasses sat trying to eat his food.

"I was a fisherman's daughter growing up so I am used to boats," Martha replied.

"I see you met Hilary - she is a marine biologist, studying the effects of element zero on the marine life here in the Pacific," Enrique said.

Martha looked up at her in awe as the woman merely blushed, "Nothing special, it was myself and Rupert, over there, that discovered that the element zero leakage had caused some of the marine life to develop higher brain functions, such as the dolphins here," she said.

Martha was silent as she slowly let the food settle in her stomach before she sipped some water. As soon as the food settled, her mind began to drift and her eyes began to droop.

"Looks like _Senorita_ is tired," Enrique said as he helped Martha to her feet.

She had not realized that she was that exhausted till Enrique had to support her back to her bunk. As soon as the door closed, Martha went straight for the bathroom before settling in on her bunk to sleep.

MEANWHILE

Hilary watched the girl Martha leave the mess hall... The girl was a mess. With her glasses left on the table, she could see from her bloodshot eyes that the girl was exahusted. And her not looking up was another indication that something was wrong. The girl was distant, that much was for sure, and she bet that Alexandria Wilcox had something to do with it. She turned to Enrique when he returned from dropping Martha off to bed, her braided hair falling just before her eyes.

"What did that bitch Alexandria do to her?" she asked.

"What do you think Alexandria does to everyone we have recruited: ruined their lives. I bet _senorita_ Martha is just like the others: had a normal life, a family, and then Alexandria comes and takes that all away. Forces her to take our job offer and then ships her off first-thing. The poor girl never even had the chance to eat before she got here. No wonder she was starving," Enrique said as he sat down.

Hilary narrowed her eyes just as another person came in to sit down. He was an older man with a rail-thin body, but slightly tanned skin and graying hair. His shirt was that of some old rock group and his thick reading glasses showed that indeed he was a nerd. He work khaki pants and some Japanese tabbi shoes, but he showed concern on his face when he sat down.

"Is that the girl they are sending down on Tuesday?" he asked.

"Yeah, her name...shit, I did not get her name!" Hilary complained.

"Her name is Martha, _senor_ ," Enrique replied as he started to eat his food.

"Martha? Well, she does not look like a **Martha** to me. I thought she was a guy from where I was sitting," the man said.

"Trust me, she is a girl alright, but to go down in that condition? No wonder they get nightmares," Hilary said.

"Are you going down on Tuesday?" the man asked,

"Me and Enrique are heading down with Martha. Dr. Alenkov is dying to meet her and she wants to have a few choice words to Alexandria about how she treats her people," Hilary said, heading out to dump out her tray. The food was good and she wanted to make sure the cook knows it.

Walking away, she could not help but turn back and look down the hall to where Martha was sleeping. The poor girl looked exhausted from traveling such a long distance across the world. In fact, from the looks of it, the poor girl probably never left home in her life. She was horribly exhausted - that much she could tell. From the looks of it, she was rather heavy-set. Not on the obese side, that she knew, and from her clothes, not very rich, either. That was something that irked Hilary as she'd observed Martha's appearance. The girl was basically in threadbare clothes and with an appearance of a working woman. Someone who is not afraid to work, but never really lived in her life. _Probably could not afford it,_ Hilary thought.

Getting up, she went to her lab to see what samples she can work on in the meantime.

ELSEWHERE

Martha was the latest subject that they had brought in and, according to what Alenkov dug up, has the highest concentration of Element Zero so far. The amount of the element is what surprised Enrique, who was an expert on genetic factors. His field is genetics and, from studying the element so far, he had observed in both humans and animals that it can cause some severe side effects. For starters: humans who have higher psychic abilities, but often prove unstable, are the classic signs of having high amounts of element zero. So far, with Martha, from what he observed, she has very high concentrations, but none of the symptoms. The only thing indicating that she had it was the increase in strength and senses. That is what he read in the report, anyways.

He made his way down the hallway to the communications room, the only place with the equipment for communicating with the people on the surface 37,000 feet above. He entered the room and found the communication terminal. He opened a channel and requested for Dr. Alenkov. When he waited he was sure the woman was busy. Then she came into view of the camera.

" _How is our newest subject?"_ Alenkov asked in Spanish.

" _Wilcox is a bitch as usual, the poor girl was practically starving when she came onboard. She is overly tired and from the looks of it, very stressed. We managed to calm her down enough so she could get some rest, but I fear the worst had been done to her,"_ Enrique spoke back, glad to be able to speak his native language.

" _I understand Enrique, and until you arrive on Tuesday, keep an eye on her ok? I am worried that Alexandria sent us another unstable subject,"_ Alenkov replied.

" _I understand senorita Alenkov, I will make sure that the girl is comfortable and ready by the time we make the dive in two days' time, Enrique out._ " With that, he shut off the communications.

Turning away from the console, Enrique made his way towards the crew quarters to get a well deserved nap.

TWO DAYS LATER

Slowly, dark brown eyes opened. The light of the early dawn and the sound of the ship filled her ears as she slowly rose. Looking around her, Martha observed that she was no longer in her bed, and reality came crashing down on her: She was on a ship in the middle of the ocean about to make a dive into the deepest trench in the world. Slowly she rose, aware of how heavy she felt after being jet-lagged for so long. Her senses, at least, were back to normal, and now that she's fully rested, she wanted to see where she ended up.

Rising out of bed, she became aware that she needed to get cleaned up. After taking a shower she was in a fresh set of clothes that she pulled from her bag: A pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with a picture of Master Chief from Halo on it. She began to make her way to the mess hall, remembering with a groan that she'd left her glasses there. Unable to see where she was going, practically blind without her glasses, she nearly bumped into everything. Luckily for her she began to make clicking noises with her tongue. The sounds bounced off the walls, making it easier for her to listen and navigate. As she made her way around, she became aware of the people around her by the sounds they made.

"Looking for these?" someone asked, and Martha felt something passed into her hand. Her glasses.

She brought them up to her eyes, and holding them against a light, she noticed that they had some smudges on them, so she began to clean them with her shirt. When she was satisfied, she got herself something to eat and had herself a light breakfast. When she was done she remained silent. Hilary watched as Martha just stared at the table, completely lost for her feelings.

"We dive in a few hours, and just to let you know, it is a two-hour dive so you need to dress warm before we go, alright," Hilary said.

Martha nodded as she went to change and get her bags. She was definitely not talking this morning. That had Hilary worried, as the girl was seen going towards the submersibles that the crew use to transport people and equipment to the ship below.

Martha was not liking it one bit. It took her a while to fully wake up and another while to fully come to grips with it. She was all of a sudden quiet around Hilary, and that is an understatement. How do you talk to a scientist? And what about? Certainly not about games or art, that's for sure. In fact, she did not how to make friends. She walked out of the mess area, finding crew members already at work prepping the submersible for its dive. One very large guy, who looked to be Irish, stepped up.

"Well hello there, you must be the new recruit, eh?" he said, and Martha stood her ground while the man laughed and took her bags. He set them into the sub which, surprisingly, had a hatch just off to the side. Martha watched as he loaded her stuff into the small compartment. She was amazed at the size of the sub that would take her down.

The wind and the ocean breeze made it hard to keep on one's feet as the water began to churn with the rise and fall of the ocean swells. The boat crew seemed used to this, as Martha walked back into the ship. She did not want to get in the way, and went further below deck. The churning of the ocean did not knock her over as it did several of her crew members. Being that old-school techniques came naturally to her, she held her ground, while other crew members were tossed around.

Martha went to sit down and wait on the top deck, hoping to see the sky better. Looking up, she saw that the sky is indeed dark, but not for long. Already, she spotted the blue of clear skies, so she had to guess that she was on the outskirts of a storm. The storm itself is not something she should be worried about. Give an hour or two, then the storm should have passed.

Walking out on the deck, she took off her glasses and placed them in her top jacket pocket to keep them free of salt. The ocean winds howled as she felt the air around her... It was a feeling of home. Almost like she never left Hawaii.

FOUR HOURS LATER

Already, the wind has died down to a gentle breeze. And, already, preparations were underway to get the sub in the water as fast as possible. The submersibles were diving at the same time, one with passengers and two with general cargo - enough to get the ship in gear. The fourth sub was used for energy supplies and fuel for the generators that ran the computers - Martha was sure of that one from the smell. In fact, she was relishing the fact that she no longer has a stuffy nose due to the vog from Kilauea volcano back in Hawaii.

Allergies can kick your ass at times, and it was days like these that she relished the most. _Now, if half the male population around here washes under their pits more often, then all would be good, s_ he thought as she neared the vessel.

MEANWHILE

The ship sprang into activity as people massed around the submersibles, crews making final checks to ensure safety when departing for the deep unknown. Martha made sure to use the bathroom before jumping into one of the submersibles. Hilary and Enrique joined her, along with a balding Asian man. He carried with him some medical equipment, so Martha assumed him to be the doctor replacing the one down there already.

As the team shut themselves into the submersible, she watched Enrique give the thumbs up. Slowly, cranes began to move, as the sub was lifted from its cradle and slowly hoisted overboard. Now, Martha got a clear view at how huge the ship really is. The small window port on the side allowed her to see the ship in its entirely, and she had to say, it was like getting loaded off a battle cruiser.

Slowly, the first sub was lowered, and she felt a barely-perceivable jerk as it was dropped into the ocean. The waves moved around it, causing the sub to rock violently as crews dove into the water to release the last of the crane's hooks. Then as soon as it was over, the other three subs were dropped into the ocean. The one Martha was on was to be last, since it had passengers.

"Subs one to four reporting," Enrique said over the comm.

" _All submersibles prepare to dive on my mark,"_ said a male voice that Martha did not recognize.

" _Mark,"_ the voice said and Martha found herself diving below.

It was breathtaking to behold as she saw herself descend, the waves becoming less rocking and more steady. Slowly, she felt the sub start to drop as they descended into the dark ocean below. She held her breath as they dove, not wanting to feel left out, as she placed her hand on the view port.

As they descended, the water grew darker and darker, and Martha thankfully had her jacket and thick pants on. She started to see her breath - it was getting colder as they dove deeper and deeper still. As the last of the light faded and the lights came on, Martha was amazed as she looked out her window and saw some deep sea fish swimming past. It was like entering into another world, as she watched the fish disappear into a river of light.

"Magical, isn't it?" Hilary asked.

"Yes," was Martha's reply as she took mental notes on the images of the fish swimming by. It then dawned on her that she had a sketch book in her back pack. Digging it out, she hastily looked for one of her pencils, and began to draw.

The scratching on the paper caught Hilary by surprise, and she turned around to see what Martha was doing. She watched as the girl quickly drew the fish as she saw it in a sea of light. The sounds of something clicking alerted the crew to a mysterious stranger.

Martha nearly screamed, when a rather large eye appeared, and a Sperm Whale made itself known. It looked at them curiously before swimming off. Martha quickly added this to her sketch. Hilary watched her draw the whale with such skill, and quickly turned back to the outer shell of the sub.

The deep abyss was dark as they heard the sounds of other whales clicking around them. Enrique and Hilary made alterations to their controls.

"Control we are now at 500 meters and dropping," she said.

" _Understood, Sub Four. You are nearing the first of the seamounts marking the border to the Challenger Deep,"_ said the control center on the surface.

"Roger that. Approaching now... We are now at 550 meters and dropping still." she said.

Martha could see nothing outside her port window. It was pitch-black with nothing but the occasional bioluminescent creature. She held on as the sub suddenly made a turn and she could barely see the others outside her port as their lights gave off a soft glow. The whales had long-since disappeared to search for food. She missed the sounds of their clicks as she leaned back on her seat to enjoy the sight of all this fancy technology around her.

Never before has she seen anything like it. All the glowing lights and switches made even the most advanced sci-fi movie look mundane.

"I see the first of the seamounts now," Hilary said. "Heading towards the mount now," replied Enrique.

Martha watched as they approached the first of the seamounts. Coming in close, she could make out the mounts from her port, thanks to the headlights. As more creatures came and went through the depths, Martha saw, for the first time without watching T.V., her first sea mount. Underwater mountains that can be hundreds of feet higher than Mt. Everest, base to top, and deeper canyons than the Grand Canyon. She watched in awe as the sub passed the mount in about ten minutes, then took a dive towards the darkness of the abyss.

TBC


	6. The Alien Wreckage

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!  
**

 **A/n: This is a reminder that this is an A.U. Fic that takes place in the year 2012 so no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS, OR BASHINGS PLEASE! And once again a big shoutout to my proofreader Schazmen you are a big help with proofreading thank you so much!**

 **And to the person who reviews and mentioned this to be an EARTH drama. Let me tell you that this is a rewrite of part one. If you are looking to the actual AU version you should read part 2 Legacy of the Dragon.**

 **And if any of you are wondering why I am reposting this chapter I had to fix a major error that only now I notice.**

 **Warning author insert you have been warned!**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 5: The Alien Wreckage**

CHALLENGER DEEP, MARIANA TRENCH, PACIFIC OCEAN

It was about two hours into their dive and still another ten minutes till they would get to their destination. The temperature had dropped to about four degrees now and it was near freezing. Martha could see her breath coming out of her mouth and was glad she wore a parka. At the moment, though, she wished she was more adapted to the cold more than the warm tropical climates of the surface. The ride was quite eventful on the way down. She watched as they rode the strong currents that flowed through the trench. There was one that flowed north, leading to Asia, she was told, and then further down, one that went south towards New Zealand. The ride was bumpy as their submarine was tossed due to the strength of the currents. Martha had begun to feel a bit motion sick from it, and not even the Dramamine that she had taken before the ride was helping.

Throughout the ride down, Martha watched the fish that had made themselves known to them. Besides the whales earlier, other creatures came and went. Flashes of light and the sounds of something swimming were fascinating to her, allowing her to hear what's going on, and filled her imagination with monsters from old stories.

Just as she could make out the bottom, the sound of the currents and the straining of the engines, stopped. The sounds of the ocean filled her ears, but the feeling of being tossed was gone. Instead, there was absolute stillness in the gloom, and the silence was only penetrated by the sound of the submarine's twin propellers and the constant beeping of electronics.

"We are almost there, _Senorita;_ you are in for a treat," Enrique said from his position in the driver's seat. Martha could only nod as she gazed at the ocean floor. The sights of several fish swimming past was something that Martha could not imagine. Already, there is life at the deepest part of the ocean.

It was also where she spotted the trace amounts of something glowing on the bottom.

"What is that?" she asked Enrique, pointing to the glowing rivers along the bottom.

"Element Zero, a highly radioactive substance; it leaks from the engines of the alien vessel, and has been doing so for millions of years." Hilary replied from her seat in the front. "When we get to the alien vessel Dr. Alenkov will be meeting us at the entrance. She is the head of the project and she can better explain the Element Zero leakage to you."

"OK," Martha replied.

"Relax, _Senorita._ Dr. Alenkov hates Alexandria Wilcox just as much as you do; they argue all the time on the comms!" said Enrique with a smile on his face.

" _Challenger, this is docking subs One through Four with needed supplies and passengers, requesting permission to dock. Over?"_ came the voice of their group lead.

Both Hilary and Enrique turned back to their job on the consoles, " _This is Challenger Control, you are free to dock along the main hatch. Sub Four will take the lead, followed by Subs Three, Two and One,"_ said a thick accented voice.

The voice sounded like someone from England, that much Martha could tell. The person was probably used to procedures, so he sounded a bit bored. Martha wanted to laugh at the poor man's predicament, for if he was that bored, then this trip would not be so bad.

"Hey, _Senorita_ , you should pay attention to what is outside: you might like what you see," Enrique joked.

Martha then looked through her window as the lights began to make the ship known to her.

Ahead of her, along the ocean floor, a single solid object lay dormant. It was covered in oceanic debris, but the shape of it was unmistakable. It was a ship, that much Martha could tell, and it was HUGE!

"Holy shit!" she called out.

The submersibles lit up the hull of the ship, allowing her to see for herself as they passed it by. Even though she could tell it was halfway buried in the ground, it still held its nature like a proud eagle on its perch. She saw the marine life that had made the outer hull their home: crustaceans, mollusks, and some fish swam around the ship's exterior. Even in the near pitch black, she could see faint shadows of the deep-sea corals that clearly made this place their home. Their glowing bioluminescence made it look like something out of a movie. Martha knew from reading the manual that the ship was large, but to see it in person was something she found truly breathtaking.

The ship slowly passed by and Martha, strangely, could not help but feel as if she was coming home. The dark metallic hull reflected off the lights, showing off its metal exterior through the coral patches that glowed around it.

At last, they moved to the front of the ship, where Martha could see where the head of the ship was located. There, she could make out where it was cleared away to allow for boarding. There, on the left-hand side of the ship, was a single cleared area - a single patch of metal out of the heads of coral.

"I guess it took you guys a while to clear that out," Martha said.

"You bet _senorita"_ Enrique replied wholeheartedly. "It took the guys nearly a year to find it and another year to get in. It took even longer to drain the water out. Back then, the technology was not very efficient, with all sorts of problems due to the pressure. Today, we just shoot it with sonic blasts to clean the growth off and get an industrial vacuum to pump the water out."

The final approach was done with two subs taking up flanking positions. Martha watched as Enrique expertly maneuvered the submersible to the side. Now she knew why there were two entrances to the submersible. Slowly, an extension emerged from the submersible to the ship, and a hiss was heard. Amazed, Martha got out of her chair to watch. She heard the water slowly draining from the hatch, which was then followed by the sounds of hissing as it was pressurized with air. Then, there was a beep, and the hatch hissed open. Slowly, she grabbed her backpack and reached behind her for her duffle bag. Walking out, she felt like she was boarding a plane.

Except this plane was at the bottom of the ocean.

She approached the ship - its silver hull glistened in the LED lights of the ship's hatch. She slowly reached her hand out and touched the surface. It was smooth! Then, she heard the telltale sign of an opening hatch. And slowly, she backed up as the hatch for the ship itself opened, revealing a door.

"Go on _senorita,_ don't be afraid," Enrique said behind her.

Startled, Martha glared at Enrique as he laughed at her. Hilary was right behind, scowling at him for his rudeness, "Let the girl explore, Jesus!" she said to him.

"Do not say the Lord's name in vain, _senorita_ Ballard," Enrique replied.

Martha paid no attention to their bickering. She slowly moved her hand up to the door. There was a light there in the shape of a circle. She placed her hand on it and the light turned like a wheel. The door then hissed before it opened on its own and Martha leaped back in surprise. Eyes widening, she was nearly knocked over by the jump, when a hand reached out to steady her. Looking up, she saw a rather tall woman with blonde hair and pale skin.

She pulled Martha up and the other girl sort of put her hand out behind her head sheepishly, "Sorry about that" she said.

"No need to worry: newcomers are always amazed by the front door." The woman spoke with a thick Russian accent.

"Dr. Alenkov, a pleasure to see you again," said Hilary as she shook the woman's hand.

"A pleasure Dr. Ballard. How are the latest samples of fish we sent up to the surface?" Alenkov replied.

"Those are really showing what the element zero deposits are doing to the fish population here," she said, and then noticed Martha.

"Oh, sorry Doctor, I was letting my mouth get the better of me. This is Martha Kahalewai, the 'w' has a 'v' sound to it," Hilary said.

Dr. Alenkov shook hands with Martha, "It is a pleasure Martha. I've read your profile and we have accommodations made especially for you to deal with that problem of yours," she said.

"Thanks," Martha replied.

"Now then, shall we give her the tour?" Alenkov asked.

"I wish we could, Doctor, but we have to help get this thing out so the others can start unloading their stuff," Hilary said sheepishly.

"Very well then, tell Enrique I said hi," she said as Hilary turned back towards the submersible.

Martha noticed that the a lot of the area seemed to be...well, a cluttered mess: It was full of coral deposits, making it impossible to tell how big the actual room was. It seemed as if a good portion of the wall was covered in thick coral limestone with deposits of other minerals. The old rustic look to the ship, along with the battery powered lamps and generators, gave the place an eerie look. In fact, the wall behind her, nearest the door, was nothing but rock.

"Right this way Martha, I am sure we can get you settled before we start the official tour," Alenkov said.

Martha could only nod in awe as she was led down the hallway. The ship itself was a wreck, as far as she saw: pieces of wires and consoles stuck out everywhere, while scientists worked on some of them with others like her. The hallway was crowded and she started to feel the effects of the closeness. Alenkov must have sensed it, as she turned down another hallway, this one a bit wider than the front. There was a slight rise before it settled in to another tunnel.

"Take this, and climb up here," Alenkov said, passing her her backpack and pointing to a tunnel heading directly up. Martha did not argue as she took her bag and began to climb. Alenkov was already behind her as she, too, climbed up.

When she got to the top, she was amazed at the small space up there.

"I figured this would be a good-enough spot for you to sleep in, since it is far enough away from the crew to give you privacy. And should you need it with your demophobia" Alenkov said, and started to head towards the ladder again.

"When you are settled in, come see me in the mess hall: it is just down the ladder, back through the main room and down another tunnel, which is on the right," she said before disappearing into the dark tunnel.

Martha pulled out the flashlight that she had in her backpack, and turned it on to glow stick mode. It was one of those emergency flashlights that she had bought from work. She carried about six in her bag just in case of an emergency. Turning them on, their blue glow added to the eeriness of the room. The small space was kind of tight, but Martha figured that she could maneuver through. The tunnel evened out to another area of her place. Walking towards the end, she was surprised that it opened up a bit. It seems as if this was her hiding place.

Walking in, she was shocked to find a platform-like protrusion from the wall. It was far too narrow to be her bed, so she pulled out her computer from her backpack and plugged it into the power strip that someone had placed up here. She also found a lamp, which she gladly lit, allowing the small hollow to be filled with a faint light.

When she looked around, she was shocked to find that the room itself was blocked by a wall of coral and debris growing off the walls. It was strange to see that air was kept even though the ship was sunk. She thought that part was a bit mysterious.

 _Maybe the ship has a life-support shield like on the Destiny in Stargate Universe,_ Martha thought.

Slowly but surely, she walked around her room. She was used to small rooms and seeing this one was no different. Maneuvering around, Martha began to set up her things the way she wanted them. When she was about to place her sleeping bag down, she noticed something unusual: there was some sort of rubber bracelet down on the ground.

 _Maybe one of the crew dropped it,_ Martha thought as she grabbed it.

It was light in her hands and, fortunately, not made of latex, which she was allergic to. She went to place it on the bench next to her computer. Looking at it again, she noticed that it was different to any bracelet she had ever seen.

 _As much as I would like to see that bracelet, I better report to Dr. Alenkov and find out where the bathroom is,_ Martha thought as she went back down the ladder again.

When she did, she failed to notice the bracelet give off an eerie glow before going dark again.

A FEW MINTUES LATER

"Alright, this is the main dining area. Not much to look at, but it is the least we can do on this ship," Alenkov said.

The so-called dining area was small, to say the least. Only a few set up tables and a makeshift kitchen filled the area. The air was stuffy, thanks to the amount of heat coming from the stoves. They had special air recyclers to allow the air to be cleaned and reused around the ship. Water was generated from the sea water outside and desalinated for use. Bathrooms were off to the right and for Martha, that was a good thing. She needed to go after spending nearly two hours diving.

After relieving herself, she was shown around the place more. Where she would be working, where to avoid and, most notably, the time table for spending time with the psychiatrist to ensure that she was mentally sound.

Returning to her room, Martha turned on the computer and thanked the gods that there was internet. There seemed to be a cable that went all the way up to the surface, and relays from a buoy to a satellite. From there, it instantly connects you to the internet.

Logging on, Martha began to make a letter to Aaron to tell him that she is alright.

 _Aaron,_

 _You don't know how much I miss you! I just gotten here and already I want to go home! This place is dark and foreboding and it looks as if it could collapse at any moment. It is also very cold here. It seems as if nobody likes Alexandria very much. Good, that bitch is nothing but trouble anyways. So how are things holding up for you? I hope you are doing alright._

 _Love you always,_

 _Mart_

Closing the letter and sending it, Martha drank from her water bottle on the side, before taking out her journal and opening it up to an empty page. Taking out a pen she began to write.

 _March 16, 2012_

 _Today started out alright with me getting sent down to the bottom of the ocean. I wanted so much to go back home and the way things were. I miss Aaron greatly and all my family. But I am here now thanks to that bitch Alexandria. She ruined my life by forcing my boss to fire me. She took away all means of me finding another job. Made me out to be a freak._ Tears started to fall at this point. _I want to go home! Yet I am stuck as some sort of science project! All I have are the clothes in my bag, my laptop and this stupid bracelet!_

With that, Martha threw the bracelet away from her in anger as tears came streaming down her face. She wanted to die, that much she knew.

It was also then that the bracelet began to glow.

"What the fuck?" Martha said out loud.

The bracelet once again gave a brief glow as it transformed into something else...and then turned back into a bracelet.

Not even her first day, and Martha had found something of interest. Slowly, she stood up from her chair and walked towards where the bracelet lay on the opposite wall, drying her tears on her sleeve. Slowly, she bent down to pick it up and then looked at it again under the light of her lamp.

It looked like a rubber or plastic bracelet, the kind that children wear. Just an ordinary friendship bracelet that seemed ordinarily out of place on an alien ship.

Slowly, she looked it over and placed it back on the table. She decided then and there to sleep it off and hopefully, when she is coherent enough, report it to Dr. Alenkov. She slowly slipped into the sleeping bag and closed her eyes. Sleep came to her instantly as exhaustion took over her mind.

DREAM SEQUENCE.

 _Where was she?_

 _The sense was overwhelming to say the least. She woke up in a hallway of some sort. Everything was blurry and hard to see with all the bright lights. Martha walked down the hallway, unaware of where she was going. She knew, though, that she was somewhere bright, but it was filled with dark shadows. She wished that she had her glasses, for everything was blurry. Normally, she would be dreaming of some strange things happening in elementary school, but she did not this time. This dream was different and she was not trying to fly away like a bird._

 _This time, she was in strange surroundings and cursed not having her glasses. It was hard enough trying to see through the mass of blurs. Martha walked around blindly, trying to feel her way around. The shadows were all around her, moving and her demophobia was starting to kick in. Try as she might, she could not help but feel something strange was going on. It was deafening to her as the voices that she could not make out was getting to her. There were many voices all around her._

 _It started to choke her, squeezing her in..._

END DREAM SEQUENCE

With a yell, Martha lurched from her sleeping bag. Ragged breaths caught in her throat as she struggled to gain a footing on reality. Looking around, she noticed that the music her computer was playing had gone silent and the lights in her room had dimmed. Drenched in sweat, she pulled herself out of the sleeping bag and looked at the clock on the computer.

It was seven in the morning.

Not like it matters at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Getting up, she quickly got dressed and cleaned herself up. Getting down with her toiletries she got herself ready for the day. Going down the mess hall, she got herself something to eat while she looked at her new iPad, trying to see where she would be going.

 _ **Crew assignments: Wednesday October 22, 2012**_

 _ **Marine Environmental Laboratories station 1**_

 _ **Hilary Ballard; Chief Marine Biologist**_

 _ **Takeyoshi, Oyama : Research Assistant**_

 _ **Yuri Travoski: Research Assistant**_

 _ **Melina Tutopolis: Technician**_

 _ **Peter Tupola: Biotics Expert**_

 _ **Element Zero Research and Development Station 2**_

 _ **Robert Caradine: Chief Chemist**_

 _ **Yahiko, Shinji: Research Assistant**_

 _ **Pier, Lennox: Research Assistant**_

 _ **Mai-Yin, Qi: Technician**_

 _ **Makaela Lopez: Biotics Expert**_

 _ **Extraterrestrial Technology Research**_ _ **Station 3**_

 _ **Rebecca Kimber: Chief Research Annalists**_

 _ **Lennard, Marks: Research Assistant**_

 _ **Terry, Scotts: Research Assistant**_

 _ **Diego, Rodrigues: Technician**_

 _ **Martha, Kahalewai: Biotics Expert**_

The list seems to go on to other assignments, but it would seem that Martha is assigned to a Dr. Rebecca Kimber, head of Extraterrestrial Technology. She would be going there every day and then in the evening after the first week, she would start to see Dr. Zenger for psychiatric debriefing. Feeling alone, Martha dug into her meal, enjoying the powdery eggs and toast.

When she was done, she made her way towards the area she was assigned, which was down towards the bottom of the known explored areas of the ship. Climbing down the tunnel, Martha arrived in the area she was supposed to go. She felt uneasy with all the scientists involved. She could see more of the coral rock growths around the area making it hard to maneuver through. The rocks made the ship seem smaller, but after millions of years of decay, she could not blame them. Walking towards where she thought Dr. Kimber would be, she was suddenly hit from the side.

"Ow!" she complained, rubbing her ribs.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to... Hey, I don't know you, are you new?" asked a male voice.

Martha turned to find herself staring at a rather sheepish-looking guy. He was rail-thin with very pale skin from spending long periods on the ship. His hair was thick, dirty blonde, and he reeked of grease and metal. His clothes were covered in dirt and grime, giving him a filthy appearance.

"Sorry, I'm looking for Dr. Kimber? My name is Martha Kahalewai and I was told to meet her here," she said, readjusting her glasses.

"Martha, huh? Kind of a homely name, wouldn't you say?" the man said, helping her up. He winced at Martha's grip.

"You can call me Mart or Marty, a lot of people back home do," Martha said, looking sheepish when she saw him wince.

"I can deal with Marty, that sounds better than Martha... Geesh! You sound like an old 50's movie," he said.

"Well, tell that to my mom, who named me after my Aunt Mata Rei, who changed her name to Martha when she moved to the United States back in the day," she replied.

"Sorry, I didn't meant to insult you," the man said.

Then realizing that he had not answered her earlier question, he pointed. "Dr. Kimber is just down on the other side of the room with Dr. Jackson - just don't mind Jackson, he is a real asshole at times," he said and rushed off.

Martha was left alone to walk down narrow passages till she reached her destination at the end of the room. The room itself was not very big, and it was converted to a laboratory. Much of the room was still a rock wall of fossilized coral, but Martha kept walking further in till she saw some metal sticking out of the rock. There was one side of the wall that was bare, with computer terminals that she never saw before sticking out of the coral.

Or, at least, she thought they were. Hard to tell with alien technology.

Passing through the entrance and watching where she was going, she approached the terminals. They looked more like gutted computer screens than actual computers. Curious, she looked to see if anyone else was around, before coming closer. They all seemed dead and strange to her - nothing but a blank panel and computer parts.

That, is until the screens lit up in her presence.

"What the hell?" Martha said, surprised as she leaped back from the terminals.

"I have never seen terminals respond like that before," said a feminine voice.

Martha turned to find herself staring at a rather tall, petite woman with auburn hair and light gray eyes. Her lab coat made her stand out as the typical scientist, while her framed glasses shone in the dim light. Martha felt out of place with her burly shoulders and shorter, more masculine frame. She could not help it if she took after her father in body type.

The woman approached, "You must be Martha? I'm Rebecca Kimber, head of Extraterrestrial Technology Research Division. A pleasure to meet you," she said offering her hand.

"Pleasure," Martha said, and taking her hand in a firm handshake.

"My, you got quite a grip there," the woman said, and Martha flushed in embarrassment.

"Don't be shy about it, not all women have quite the strength that you have," she said and walked past Martha to the terminal station. Martha followed her to the terminals. Dr. Kimber took the time to take pictures and take notes on her iPad.

"I have been trying to get this thing to work for months. And only when you came in did it finally light up," she said, excited as she tried to go over it again. The screen proved too unstable, however and it blurred before it phased out.

"Damn it!" she cursed.

She then tried to find a way to restart the terminal, when Martha walked up to it again. When she did, the screen came up again. The words on it were still sketchy but at least the screen was on. Kimber looked up from her crouched position to look at Martha. The other girl shrugged as she stood there.

"Well, Martha, it seems to me as if you are going to be quite busy from now on," Kimber said with a smirk.

That was something that Martha hoped to avoid.

TBC


	7. Those who Lurk in Shadows

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: This is a reminder that this is an A.U. Fic that takes place in the year 2012 so no flames and just read the story to get why it was in the Mass Effect section.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1.**

 **Mass Effect: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 6: Those Who Lurk in the Dark**

WASHINGTON D.C.

Alexandria Wilcox sat at an open air restaurant enjoying the spring air and waiting for her contact to show up. While she was waiting she was going over the reports from the Challenger Deep Project. The reports were just getting interesting, when suddenly, a shadow came into view, as someone sat down in front of her. Putting down her tablet, she was greeted by the sight of her contact.

"I trust everything went well with our newest addition," he said, getting straight to the point.

"As new as it could be, considering she was a stubborn one," Alexandria replied as she pulled back her painted lips.

"I would expect as much given her profile. Such high levels of element zero is sure to raise some questions. I am surprised she has not unleashed her biotics yet." the man said as he ordered a drink.

"Patience. Remember: you can't bring down an entire excavation team down there. The pressure alone can kill a man instantly." Alexandria knew this conversation and with this man.

"Wilcox, I have yet to see some results of this mission profiles. There have been no reports on weapons systems, if it has any, and any sort of defensive technology has yet to rear its ugly head. Now, I've waited nearly fifty two years since it was first discovered to find if any of sort of technological breakthrough. So far, there have been no results!" her companion stated and Alexandria only smiled.

He was a general from the Pentagon, who demanded that the scientists on the alien vessel find clues to bring it up from the deep for further exploration. However, after years of trying to pull it out of the dirt, it was not happening. The ship, for some reason, was too heavy to move. So they left it at the bottom of the ocean and sent teams to study it, improving submersible technology to help with research into finding out what is on the ship.

It was about 1966 that an unmanned rover had uncovered the door that led into the ship itself. It was barely visible due to the rocks and debris clinging to it. But the unusual cut in the ship's side barely sticking out of the ground was enough to mark a full excavation into the Deep. They had dug into the sea bed to find more of the door into the ship. That was when they started to discover the full size of the ship itself. As they dug into the deep sea rock, and worms that grew around it, the crew encountered numerous problems. The pressure, for one, was a major factor and the freezing temperatures of the ocean itself, was a hindrance in the excavation. It took nearly two months, when it would have taken a few days if the ship was discovered on dry land. But due to the ocean conditions and the surface weather patterns, digging was difficult at best.

It was not until January of 1967, that they manged to make a breakthrough with the door. Now scientists had to discover how to open the door without destroying what was inside the ship. Deep sea sonar readings marked the ship to be quite large. Seismic readings indicated that the ship is about as large as a small vessel, others compared the size to that of a cruise ship. But still, scientists are studying the exact size of the ship.

When they created the first deep sea boarding vessel - one that could open the door to the ship - it was met with many problems. First of all, the ship's design was heavily flawed, not compensating the fact that the door to the ship might swing outwards as compared to inwards. And second, no one designed the ship to be able to withstand the intense pressure of the Challenger Deep. When they managed to finally fix the flaws to the vessel and make that first contact with the ship scientists had to compensate for the door and which direction the door opens. It took some time, but they eventually figured out the door, when one of the observers from the University of Tokyo discovered the means to open the door manually from a remote vehicle. It was doing observations of the ship's integrity when it discovered. The students onboard the vessel on the surface at the time did not know what to make of it. It was when the student who was at the controls, managed to find the button to activate the door, did they finally see how the door opened. In hindsight, it was obvious, once they discovered the markings on the ship indicating the direction of the door. And in April of 1967, a team from N.A.S.A. and their Russian Counterparts finally opened the door.

When they opened the door, however, they met another roadblock in the way of another door. This one was sealed shut with a glowing panel on the front. The scientists quickly figured out it is an airlock, but they hadn't expected it to withstand the pressure of the ocean floor. It took another few months for the scientists to finally manage to open the door, but to do that, they needed to perfect the submersible that would help get scientists onboard the vessel. A lot of preparation had to be done before going further. In November of 1967, they managed to make the first steps onboard the vessel with the first of several submersible designs that would transport people and supplies to the ship.

Several decades later, the scientists had made some astounding discoveries since they first entered the ship. They discovered better ways to communicate, improve computers and make them more portable and even better alternatives to fossil fuels. Though the latter is taking longer to convert, due to the short-term financial view of some countries and many, many corporations. Now, however, the United States and its Allies are prospering at the thought of advanced alien technology to enhance human evolution.

Major funding for the excavation of the vessel came at the discovery of improved weapons modifications. That is why the expedition is also funded by the militaries of many nations. The United Nations and NATO wanted a joint effort into finding improvements for weapons, such as making them lighter and more user friendly. It was those small weapons contributions that has the governments of the world scrambling to bring their best and brightest in for the chance to discover something new for their country. It was a gold mine of opportunities.

"I know that, Wilcox! It is just that in the recent decade, the discovery of weapons improvements have been nearly zilch! All they ever find nowadays is better ways to improve computers," he said.

"Well, that is not a totally loss considering the amount of hackers we have to deal with on a daily basis." Alexandria joked.

"Very funny! And the lack of healthy candidates to activate the alien technology to see their potential, makes my job even harder to maintain," the man said to her.

"Relax, I am sure that our newest recruit will turn up something of interest, if you know what I mean," she said.

The man could only scowl at her, "And how would you know that, Wilcox? So far, all we have is nothing!" the man said, nearly yelling.

Alexandria looked around, noting that people were not paying the slightest attention, which was good, "That girl has the highest amount of element zero to date. The reason the others did not yield enough results is because they did not have enough of it in their blood to get the computers to fully activate. This girl, so far, has not only turned on a few systems, but kept them on by standing in close proximity of those terminals. Now, eventually, she will stumble upon a weapons cache that we can sink our teeth in. Remember, it took us nearly fifty years to come up with what we got today. Tell the brass that those who are patient receive the bigger rewards." With that Alexandria stood out of her chair and walked out. She left the man to pay for the tab as she called a taxi.

Growling, the man paid the tab, before heading out to his own car. He then drove down towards the pentagon to give his report to his superiors. They are not going to like what they they are about to hear.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

The current government of Saudi Arabia stands as one of the most advanced in the Middle East. It was what made it to be the most influential in all of the nations. After the discovery of the Alien Vessel, it was one of the first of the Middle Eastern Nations to send scientists to study the advance technology. The National Science Building in Riyadh is home to the most brilliant scientific minds in the Middle East. It is here that the government of Saudi Arabia meets with its chief scientists on the advancements of modern technology in the Arab world. The building itself stands at the University of Arabia's Riyadh campus. Many students come and go from the building, where lectures and discoveries were made to help with the people of the Arab nation. Thanks to the Alien Vessel, new fuel technology is being discovered to help ease Arabia's dependence on crude oil. The King himself wishes to see his nation grow less dependent on oil for its economic growth.

Today marks another day where several people gather for their daily routines at the Science Building. One man in particular walked towards the building after being dropped off by a taxi. He carried with him a briefcase when he climbed up the steps towards the main entrance. His stance and his steps were hurried as he reached the building's entrance. The science building had recently been a hub for political activity. As such, the man wanted to be inside when the meeting between scientists and the government of Arabia began.

When he entered the building, he was already fully aware of the security detail entitled to protect the politicians inside. Going through rigorous security checks and screenings, he finally arrived at his destination: the Science Labs located on the third floor of the building. The area was already crowded; when he entered, his footsteps were lost to the dozens of people that walked down the noisy hallways. Soon enough, he reached his destination: the large doors were guarded by two security guards, both of whom were armed, and waited as they scanned him before allowing him inside.

Opening the door, he found a man in a business suit speaking to one of the lead scientists. This man was finely dressed and the other was clearly in the middle of an experiment when he was interrupted. The man was not too pleased and the argument was clearly not going well. The man who entered stayed to the side, waiting to see the fight's outcome. It was soon clear that the one in the business suit was losing, and the man soon stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

"That did not go very well did it," the man said to the scientist.

The other man gave a jump before holding his chest, "By Allah! Ali, don't scare me like that again!" the other man shouted, clearly not enjoying the exchange. The man, Ali, could only chuckle at his friend's predicament.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to frighten you, my friend," Ali said.

"What brings you here?" the scientists asked, raising his eyebrow in curiosity.

"It is about the latest finds on the deep sea expedition," Ali replied.

"Oh, those! Here, let me show you," the scientist said and proceeded to show Ali to a room. There, he pulled out several reports of findings that they had been recently made on the alien vessel. Handing them to Ali, he also began showing videos from some of the scientists and researchers there. They showed the new technology that was being discovered and how the scientists were trying to see how it works. Ali was fascinated by the reports of such findings. But it was only a distraction, because the scientist reached in to pull out a folder once he came back to his senses. Inside, however, were news that turned Ali's eyes grim and what he saw was not what he wanted to.

"What is this?" Ali asked

"It was made about a week ago. One of our contacts has informed us of this recent induction," he stated.

Ali read the report, not liking what he was finding. Pirates were seen just off the coast of Guam and making attacks on the recent supply shipments to the scientists. The alien tech on those ships was worth millions to buyers on the black market. Ali read about the attacks on several ships, all from different ports. The men used this as a way of making money in South East Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

"Do the other governments know about this?" Ali asked worried. He knew the price of Alien Tech was high, especially those that deal with weapons and medical supplies.

"I am pretty sure they are aware of it, sir. Saudi Arabia is just one of the first countries that is showing worry at the increase of Pirate activity," the scientist said with concern just as Ali turned towards him.

"You seemed worried. Has there been any break-ins or breaches in security lately?" he asked.

"There had been several break-ins but luckily not in this sector of the building. However, they are increasingly getting closer and it has the people here nervous. In fact, last night, there was an attempt to break into the labs upstairs. There was even a fire recently in that area." the scientist replied.

"What were they researching upstairs?" Ali asked.

"They were mostly researching Element Zero's impact on the environment and the strange substance they found in one of the hallways on the ship." the scientist replied.

"Biological research, then," Ali asked.

"Yes, and I fear they will sooner or later hit us," the scientist replied.

"I will make the arrangements, then, to increase security, has there been any terrorist attacks?" he asked.

"So far, no, but we have to be sure security is tight if we are to conduct any research here," the scientist replied.

"I will see to it that it is taken care of. Have a good day," Ali said as he shook the man's hand.

"Thank you, sir, we appreciate it very much," the scientist replied.

Ali walked out of the building. His hands were tied as he held onto the suitcase containing the documents of the research done in the Challenger Deep. As part of the Middle Eastern Science Division, it was his job to ensure that the research that was sent to them was kept safe. The recent attacks on ships out at sea, and the attacks on this building showed that people are desperate to get their hands on alien technology. He would bet his money that one of the countries vying to get their hands on some of the weapons tech was Iran, though likely rogue citizens. Saudi Arabia is one the countries who protested on sharing the knowledge of the Alien Vessel to those third world countries, who had no idea how to deal with such advance tech. He would insure that his country would take the lead in the research, far ahead of their allies. Saudi Arabia will once again become a prominent leader in advanced technology, and would protect its own secrets.

At all costs...

OFF THE COAST OF THE NORTHERN MARIANAS

A lone vessel sat waiting patiently out in the middle of the ocean. The few crew members on its deck walked around, taking care of important duties, while one served as lookout. The lookout suddenly shouted, pointing out to sea as a few smaller vessels approached. Quickly, others joined the current crew on deck, with several sporting guns. When the captain of the vessel approached, they lowered their weapons as he waved them off. He watched as the smaller vessels quickly placed themselves on either side of the larger vessel. A ladder was lowered for them to climb onboard despite the choppy seas. The captain waited as a lone man climbed onboard followed by his body guards and, as they shook hands it was clear to the rest of the crew that the Captain knew this man well.

The man in question was someone with a lot of money and he was not afraid to spend it on something that would further his goals. He was an Asian man with dark skin and equally-dark clothes. He wore army fatigues and a dark green jacket. His sunglasses reflected the bright tropical sun overhead. The sunhat he wore also warded against sunlight. He was dressed for business as well as war. His well tailored demeanor was as sure sign that he was in charge. The men that guarded him quickly fell into line as crew members quickly went back to work on their daily duties.

"What do you have for me!" he demanded as he spoke to the Captain.

The Captain is a well-built European Man. His lightly-tanned skin and dark green eyes were amused as he gestured for the Asian man to follow him. They walked down the narrow hallways into the bow of the ship. The Captain's cabin was just near the stern of the ship, away from the harsh waves. The Captain opened the door and gestured for the Asian man to come inside. When he entered, he was greeted by maps of all sorts around the room. Of course, this was a ship and a Captain needs to know where he is going. Just off to the side was a display with several files and a small laptop computer on a large desk. The desk, of course, was bolted to the floor to prevent anything from slipping and the computer was on a plate that held it in place. The Captain, sat down behind the desk and indicated for the Asian man to sit down. Reaching into his top right desk drawer he pulled something out of it.

"I have something for you," he said and presented a photograph of a ship.

"Where was this taken?" the Asian man asked.

"This was taken just off the coast of Palau. The vessel was docked in order to resupply since its normal port of harbor was hampered down due to a typhoon," the European man said.

The Asian man looked at it in awe, "That is one huge ship,"

"It is," the European man said, "This is the _Ocean Odyssey,_ a research and supply vessel that transports people to and from the ocean floor. It is the same ship the United Nations uses to extract valuable information and research materials from the bottom. Tell me, have you heard about the alien vessel found at the bottom of the ocean?" he asked.

"I have heard stories, but I thought it was all a myth," the Asian replied.

"No, my friend, the ship is real, and this vessel is the one to harvest all the goodies that the scientists down below pick up. I want you to board that vessel and confiscate all the research on it. If possible, take the vessel itself and bring it to me at this location near the northernmost island in the Philippines." he said, showing the Asian man where he was to drop the ship off.

"How much are we talking about?" The Asian man asked.

"Billions on the black market," the European replied, and the Asian man whistled.

"That is a lot of money from one research vessel," the man said.

"We both can get an equal share of the profits, and more, with the amount of research and supplies that thing brings up on a daily basis." the European man said.

"Who is willing to buy this shit?" the Asian man asked.

"All I can tell you is that a lot of people are willing to pay billions of dollars to get that info. They are especially interested in weapons technology, anything that can give them an edge." the European man replied.

The Asian man was intrigued, "So you want me and my men to pursue and capture this vessel and meet you in the Philippines. That is a long way from here my friend," he said, somewhat skeptically.

"But it is well-thought-out. Even if the United Nations found out and pursued you, they will never be able to catch you. You will have hostages and the weapons you gain from your supply will put a hole through even the toughest armor on any navy vessel," the European Man replied.

"It will be done," the Asian man said smiling.

"It better be, I got buyers who are willing to pay billions for those items." the man said, "Oh and by the way," he looked the Asian man directly in the eye, "They also want the people on that vessel alive."

"Why is that?" the Asian man asked.

"Let's just say that those people are worth a lot of money alive," the European man replied.

"Very well, it will be done,"

With that, he got up and went to the drawers behind him, pulling out a folder, which he then handed to the Asian man, "This contains the information needed about the ship in general. Good luck; you will need it."

TBC


	8. They Strike in the Dark

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: This is a reminder that this is an A.U. Fic that takes place in the year 2012 so no flames and just read the story to get why it was in the Mass Effect section. And a big shoutout to my awesome beta I could not have gotten this down without your help.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1.**

 **Mass Effect: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 7: They Strike in the dark**

It had been nearly three months since Martha had last seen the light of dawn. Everyday it was the same thing: She would get up to do her morning routine and then she would go to the labs to do her stand, point, and activate this alien device or that alien gadget with Dr. Kimber. And since this place has no laundromat, everyone's clothes had to be sent to the surface to be cleaned. Now, Martha didn't mind the cleaning service, but she prefers to do her own laundry. In fact, she would not mind another pair of shirts about now.

It was days like this that she found herself writing to Aaron again on Facebook.

 _Hey Aaron,_

 _I know you are probably in bed by now and probably thinking about me...or withering in misery you choose._ Martha had to pause before writing further.

 _Look I know that three months is a long time since I was sent to this prison. I have met a few of the others besides Dr. Kimber. I finally have been able to meet them. Besides Hilary everything is rather rigorous. God how to I put this in words...I really miss you. I miss your accusations, your paranoia, your smile. Hell I miss you to death! I love you always. I just wish I could be with you again. Dr. Kimber is such a slave driver I swear! I feel so strange living in the dark for so long. At least they have some decent lighting in my room. The only thing I have from this ship is this stupid bracelet. Yeah you are probably thinking 'why do I have a stupid bracelet that isn't you' well it was the first thing I found when I gotten this little hole. So I had the scientists analyze it and found nothing on it. They said it was just a regular bracelet. I have yet to put it on because it was all shinny and such._

 _I don't know to feel right now at the moment I feel so lost._

 _And then there are the dreams. You know those dreams I've told you about? Yeah I still get them and this time they're worse then ever! It seems so vivid and out of focus at times that I took to drawing them in my sketch books. And as time past I looked at the drawings and saw that they are coming more in focus each time. It was always the same thing over and over again. I am tired of it!_

 _I want to see the sun again. I want to see you again, I hate this prison! I want to go home!_

 _Well I better go it is time for lights out._

 _Love always Mart_

With that, Martha sent her email and felt tears began to leak down from her eyes. Her weekly meetings with the psychiatrist were of no help to her. All she wanted to do was curl up and die in this hellhole. She kept thinking that God wanted to punish her for not going to church or something. Getting up, she walked over to the wall nearest the entrance to her cave and began to cry. She had been doing so for three months and kept doing so for as long as she can. Misery sure as hell can be a friend in this time.

As she let the tears fall, she held on to the hope that the next cycle of shifting parties she would be able to go to the surface. She was suppose to go soon and she could not wait to see the sun again. She looked at her now-thin arms and body. All the excess fat was gone due to the strict diet that they have here under the surface. She was on an exercise regime also, to keep fit and not get any atrophy due to the increased pressure of the trench. It helped with building up the muscle she needs to stay fit, but the excess skin from her once large arms and broad shoulders could use a trim. Her now-long, dark curly hair hung down her face as she typed away at her computer. She'd hoped that everything would be better now that she worked for the government, but she was wrong. As she held her bracelet out, she wanted to see if she could try it on just this once. It was not very hard to try seeing as the bracelet looked to be stretchable.

Looking at it, Martha was curious to see what would happen, but she held back a bit, just staring at the way the thin bracelet shimmered under her hand.

"Hey there!" a cheerful voice said.

Martha jumped in her seat and turned to find Hilary standing there with another person. This was another one of the 'subjects' who was a friend of Hilary's named Ichigo. Ichigo was of Japanese/Korean descent and was picked up in Japan just days before Martha was recruited. The two had hit it off instantly and became friends, though Martha could see a budding relationship between him and Hilary, if the googly-eyed expression on their faces was anything to go by.

"Hi yourself," Martha said as she spun her chair to meet her new guests.

"I figured we could come up to your place and see for ourselves what changes you made to the old storage room." she said and Martha smirked, "Not much just made it look more like home," she said.

"Well it looks like a workshop of some sort," Hilary joked, noticing the stuff piled up around the area. Computer parts and tools were everywhere, and Martha gave a sheepish look at the mess that she had created.

"Sorry I just like fixing my own stuff; if you know what I mean," Martha replied rubbing the back of her head and giving herself a scratch.

"So what is up with you?" Ichigo asked curious as he sat down on one of the spare seats available.

"I just sent an e-mail off to my boyfriend back home," Martha replied.

"Really? I never knew you had one," Hilary joked as she too sat down. "I always thought you were the loner type,"

"I always had a boyfriend but Alexandria tried to take that away when she sent me here. I miss him and he misses me, so when I came here we would e-mail each other. I told him that he can always find another girl, but he won't listen," Martha said.

"How romantic! He loves you, girl, so don't lose him," Hilary said as she got up from the spot she sat at and laid down on Martha's sleeping bag.

"Hey I sleep there!" Martha protested.

"Yeah, well, it is my turn to hear your story so spill!" Hilary said sounding like a teenager.

"What is there to spill Ms. Marine Biologist?" Martha said smiling.

"Well where are you originally from? And what job you worked as? And what are your hobbies?" she said smiling.

"I thought you read my profile, like Alenkov did?" Martha replied.

"Oh no! I am not privy to that. Alenkov and the other higher ups are privy to that information. Me and Ichigo here, we are just grunts," Hilary replied, pointing to her friend who remained silent.

Smiling for the first time in months, Martha startled her two friends.

"What? Is there something wrong with my teeth?" she asked.

"Um wow, I did not know your teeth are so sharp!" Hilary said.

"Oh? It is common back home, I have never seen someone with teeth so flat before, other than Aaron." Martha replied sharply, but with amusement showing in her eyes.

"Aaron?" Ichigo asked.

"My boyfriend," Martha replied and pulled up a picture of them together.

"Ok, not so great in the looks, but I can see why you love him," Hilary said.

"Hey not everyone is a movie star; sometimes its the personality that makes them great," Martha replied, clearly offended.

"Sure I bet they just love that one," Hilary said jokingly, "Alright girl now spill we want to know our mystery girl here."

"Alright, you have to tell me about yourselves afterward," Martha replied.

They sat there, talking for quite a bit: the sounds of their laughter filled the room as they told stories about where they come from, their pasts and what was it like growing up where they come from. It was well after ten, when finally they decided to call it a night and started to get up from their stiff positions, backs hurting and legs gone numb from sitting on the hard floor. As they were about to leave, it was then that Ichigo noticed something on the desk.

"What is that Martha?" he asked pointing to the bracelet.

Martha turned her head from where she was preparing her sleeping bag to look at where he was pointing.

There, on the desk, was the bracelet hanging from her keyboard where she left it. Picking it up she held it out, "It is something I found when I got here," she said.

"A bracelet?" Hilary asked, picking it up and examining it.

Hilary was surprised by how thin and flimsy it felt.

"Yeah I found it when I first got this room," Martha said. "Hell, I even had Jenkins check it out to make sure it was not some alien tech that someone dropped."

Ichigo held it in his hand after Hilary gave it to him. He examined it and then put it back on the table. "It is very flimsy if I ever felt it, and it is not one someone would wear around here. I almost thought it was one of those that are for hospital patients, but it feels more like a cheap watch. My question is why is it up here?" he said confused.

"I don't know I figured you would know who left it here?" Martha asked.

"No one I would know," Hilary said.

"Maybe someone came up here to escape work?" Martha asked.

"I doubt it, Martha, everyone here is under careful watch, even you. So I doubt anyone would slip under the radar. And besides, if they had a bracelet like that, I would know. Everyone has to go up to the surface one way or another." Hilary replied.

Martha leaned back on her makeshift desk. She looked down at the bracelet in her hand, examining it. It was very thin to the touch, just like long-term patient bracelet but...

Ichigo smiled mischievously, "Why don't you put it on? Let's see what you look like with something girly for once."

Hilary smirked along with him, "Yeah why don't you?" she requested.

Martha raised an eyebrow, "You really want me to put it on? Doesn't it look out of place on me?"

"Why not? It's just a bracelet, come on, don't tell me it's _too_ girly for you?" Hilary replied.

Martha took a hold of the bracelet, noting again how it was very thin and silky to the touch. It looked like any sort of rubber bracelet, but was as thin as a patient bracelet. It was shiny, with golden lines and small buds coming from it. It was something a little girl of about five would wear. Though the width of it was what gave it its appearance, Martha could only stare at it for so long. Taking a breath, she put the bracelet on, feeling the silky material against her skin. As soon as she put it on she turned back to Hilary and Ichigo. "There, happy? I have it o- What the fuck!" Martha called out in surprise, along with Ichigo and Hilary, as the bracelet disappeared from view.

It was then that Martha's arm began to glow and a 3D holographic form began to take shape over it. It seemed to float there and the sounds of something came to Martha's ears before disappearing.

"Oh shit!"

DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE

"So you tell me that this device was in the shape of a bracelet?" she said, her eyebrow raised.

"Yes ma'am, we had it checked, and Jenkins said it was just a bracelet with no special alien tech on it. I guess he was wrong," Martha replied, looking rather sheepish.

"I did check it, ma'am; did the scans and everything, and found nothing out of the ordinary," Jenkins, who was asked to join them along with Dr. Kimber, replied.

Jenkins was a dark-skinned British man, who took pride in being able to detect alien tech. But his mistake led to this problem. Martha currently held up the device for him to examine and he found, to his shock, that the device is able to hide as part of Martha's arm. This did not go well for them all. "What if it was a bomb?" asked a panicked Ichigo.

"It is not a bomb, or else I would be dead," Martha glared at him.

"That is true, ma'am. I don't know what it is, and frankly, for some strange reason, it puts words up in English," Martha demonstrated when it started to give off readings.

"I think it taps into your brain to see what language the wearer speaks...or it uses audio recognition software," said Kimber in awe.

Martha waved it around, and then it lit up a holographic display of the laptop computer's insides. Martha's eyes lit up as she looked at all the parts that made up Dr. Alenkov's computer. She then waved it around to see what else she could see and found that it does not just computers but people's bodies as well.

"This is cool!" Martha said.

"It is some sort of analytical tool!" Kimber said amazed, "It allows us to see what the systems are made of and allows us to analyze what is going on with them. This could be big, ma'am! If we can find more of them lying around, maybe we can use them to find out how to repair some of these systems." She then frowned from the look on Martha's face.

"Is there something wrong Marty?" she asked.

"Yeah, I know my way around computers, but for some reason there is a strange device transmitting some sort of signal from Dr. Alenkov's computer." Martha then looked under the computer and then proceeded to get a nearby screw driver. Closing the laptop and taking out the power sources, she then proceeded to extract the device out. By taking out all the screws around the machine and opening the laptop up exposing the hard drive, motherboard, RAM and processor units. Going through Alenkov's desk, she then proceeded to gut the computer of the keyboard and inner shell to expose more of the circuitry inside. When she saw what she was looking for she gave a whistle.

"Now that is something you don't see everyday," Martha said.

"What is it?" Kimber asked.

"From what I understand this is a government issued relay device used mainly for listening in and hacking into someone's computer. A person uses it to relay personal information towards any third party. I had one when I first got here and quickly disabled it. I lied to Alexandria about my tech abilities. I figured it would come in handy someday," Martha said as she took a look at the device. Smirking, she placed her left hand over the device and watched the glove come to life again.

Once again it formed a three-dimensional shape like that of the floating device and from looking at it, Martha figured out pretty quickly how it worked. With the holographic keyboard, she managed to trace the signal. Using the strange device, she patched it through several different computers on the ship.

"Well, well, well," Martha said smirking.

"What?" said Kimber.

"It seems as if there are multiple signals throughout the ship. I have traced at least fifteen different signals, all from different parts of the ship. I'd say all the heads of department are bugged, and some of our fellow subjects. I can trace each frequency down and deal with it here and now. With this device, I can deactivate and remove the bugs to ensure that there are no more surprises." Martha said.

"Can you really do that?" Jenkins asked, this time in awe.

"Yeah, I sort of figured it out. It adapts to our languages and it's surprisingly easy to use. I can remove the device, it is not that hard. Since it is a standard device, there is no explosives on it. But I have to be careful, because it can fry the system." Martha replied.

Alenkov was furious when Martha explained how the device worked. All these years, she'd wondered how the governments found out about certain subjects without her knowledge. How information had gotten leaked about their research and how corporations had used them to better their own gains. She had wondered for years how this was going on and had gone through several system upgrades. Each time it happened, they planted new bugs and for how long? Her rage burned in her as she stared at Martha through half lidded eyes.

"Find all the devices and find out what information that they have leaked to the outside without our permission. Then, I want you to remove every single bug from our computers and get rid of them. Jenkins, Kimber, assemble your team and go with her. Find out everything you know about who's computers are being bugged, and whose is not. Martha, while you are at it, use that device of yours to scan other equipment for such bugs and report them directly to me, understood?" she said.

"Perfectly ma'am," Martha said, standing up straighter.

"You will start in the morning. For now, I want you to get some rest, it is late. And then I want you to start early; we have a house to clean." With that, they were dismissed back towards their separate quarters for a good night's sleep.

All, that is, except for Alenkov and Martha.

"You have something else you wish to say, Martha?" Alenkov asked curiously.

"You are royally pissed, I can tell," Martha said.

"Get some rest Marty, for tomorrow you will be our biggest asset to separating the weeds from the flowers." With that, Martha rose from her chair and gave her a salute before leaving.

Alenkov smiled, she was starting to like that girl.

When she saw Martha leave her area, she turned towards her gutted computer and the device that Martha retrieved. Taking out her own device, Alenkov did a scan and found to her burning anger that indeed Martha was right. The frequency that it gave off was a standard Russian transmission mixed in with some from China and South Korea. Though Martha's device was more sophisticated than most, she knew that hers would come in handy. Taking the device in her hand, she dropped it on the floor and proceeded to crush it under her foot.

 _No more_ , she thought.

APARA HARBOR, GUAM

One of the few port of calls for the sea vessel _Ocean Odyssey_ was on the island of Guam; the closest port to the Marianas Trench. The ship would routinely come here every three months, to allow shore leave for its crew and to get fuel and supplies. Apara Harbor is the main port in Guam, and it houses hundreds of ships from all over the world. Some would say that it is the gateway to the Southeast Asian Continent and others to the Pacific. The Ocean Odyssey, at the moment, was being refueled and resupplied. Dock workers were busy getting things set for their voyage back out to sea.

What the crew of the Odyssey didn't know was that this is the same port that will forever burn into the minds of the people who came to call this vessel home. While the last of the supplies was being loaded, a small crew of dock workers set to work finishing the cast-off before departing. The ship then slowly made its way out of port towards open waters, the green tropical waters turning into the dark deep blue waters of the open ocean. Slowly but surely, the ship made its way out into the rough surf of the ocean swells. Turning towards the south, the ship began its trek around the island towards the Marianas Trench with fresh food and supplies.

The _Ocean Odyssey_ was unknowingly being followed by another vessel, this one keeping itself well out of range of its radar. The ship following had no ship I.D. and to the crew of the Odyssey, it was simply one of the many shipping vessels heading towards the South Pacific. as with many other vessels in the area. This vessel, however, was waiting for the Odyssey from just south of Guam. The bridge of this ship was well shielded from being hit by bullet fire. It also was reinforced to make it able to sustain heavy damage from collisions and even artillery fire. It followed the Odyssey from a distance, hoping to catch it off guard, before it could radio for help. It was a pirate vessel, one that had frequented the area for some time, hoping to get a good score before disappearing out to sea. Many vessels had become victims to this band of pirates and many governments would want nothing more then to take them out once and for all.

The Ocean Odyssey would be one of its many victims. The buyer who paid for the raid wanted it intact and all its passengers alive. The research materials on this vessel are worth a large fortune and the knowledge the scientists have is worth even more. Some of the victims were subjects or people who volunteered to come to the vessel to be used as on and off switches. Waiting for the cover of darkness, the vessel kept its long range radar open. The radar was confiscated from a Russian ship and integrated into the pirates' systems. These systems were used to enhance their current radar and allowed them to keep up with potential victims. On board the vessel were smaller stealth boats; inflatables that are undetectable to the radar of victim vessels.

As the helmsman watched, the light of the sun started to dip in the sky. His captain, always diligent, watched from his chair. He was currently smoking a cigarette and smirking.

All he had to do was wait.

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

In the hours spent preparing his men to board the vessel, the captain of the pirate ship had ordered his men to do a hostage run. "Don't kill any of the passengers on the vessel. Make sure there are no weapons and make sure that the place is secure." That was the order given on the small boats.

In the cover of darkness, about 40 miles away from the ship, the pirate vessel made its run. Along the border of the radar of the Ocean Odyssey, it deployed its inflatable boats. Each had a double fuel tank and double engine motors to allow for greater distance from the larger ship.

Taking off from the ship, the inflatables made their run along the calm waters of the Pacific. Going at speeds of up to 50mph, they could race some average speed boats. Keeping quiet, they neared the vessel, and launched grappling hooks. The hooks latched on to the sides of the vessel, allowing the unwanted passengers to climb up onto the deck. They slowly crept up on the security detail, which was pretty light. Grabbing them and knocking them out, they dragged them to where someone would not see them, before splitting up into two teams. One headed towards the deck while the other headed towards the crew quarters and the lower engineering deck.

The unfortunate crew were caught unawares of the imminent danger. Being dragged out of bed by gun-toting men wearing masks and camouflage, they were led to the main mess hall. Among them was award-winning camera man Mark Cameron. They dragged them all into the mess hall. Everyone, from the captain to the engineers, including every one of the scientists, was thrown into the mess hall and held at gunpoint. The cooks, too, were thrown in there with them turning off whatever it was that they were cooking.

It was total chaos and despite the women kicking and screaming, there was nothing that they could do about it. And no hope of help getting to them any time soon.

MEANWHILE

 _Martha once again found herself in the same hallway as before. This time there was more clarity to it. It was indeed a ship of some sort. Slowly, she began to walk around the ship, seeing the shades of the beings that owned it walk past. Their faces and shapes were still unclear to her. She could not make out any faces._

" _Hello?" Martha said out loud but got no response._

" _Hello?" she called again, but received nothing._

 _She began to walk down the hallway, until she came to a flight of stairs. There was some sort of elevator there. Getting on, she waited till she gotten to her stop. The sight that greeted her as the doors opened was something out of a science fiction movie. In front of her was a very large model of a ship, which she had never seen before. Walking up to it, she could barely make it out anything but its basic shape. She then noticed two shapes unlike the others._

 _Walking closer she tried to call out, "Hello?" she said._

 _Nothing_

 _Again she tried but there was only silence. The only thing greeting her was the glow of the monitor. The room itself was well-lit. In fact, it was very bright with all the bright red and blue lights. The raised platform that she had her hand on gave her pause. The bright light at the end had drawn her attention. The two bright blurs were gathered there._

 _Martha then walked around towards them trying to figure it out._

 _She saw some words on the wall, but could not read them. Walking to the wall, she ran her hand along its length but she still could not make it out. Turning away and losing interest, she was again greeted by the two bright blurs. They looked to have their backs to her. Slowly she came up behind them. The first seemed to be shifting raising one part of itself but Martha could not make it out._

 _Martha then walked behind the second one, trying to see what he or she was doing. They seemed to be doing something on some sort of console. Looking over the person's shoulder, Martha was surprised at the clarity of the image in front of her._

 _In fact it was very clear._

 _ **Password...**_

 _What the? Martha thought to herself._

 _The person seemed to be typing something and again the word Password appeared._

" _I don't know the password," Martha said to the computer._

 _There was no response and Martha thought the blur had already typed it in._

 _That is until it said it again,_ _ **Password!**_

 _Then she realized that it was talking to HER!_

" _I don't know the password! And Password to what?" Martha demanded._

 _Then there was nothing...till_

 _ **Password to me...say my name...**_

 _ **SAY MY NAME!**_ _As it screamed this on the screen a sound could be heard this one loud and annoying._

 _Martha felt herself being pulled away from it. Away from the image._

END DREAM SEQUENCE

Gasping for air, Martha felt around for her blanket, and began to heave as the alarm on her now holographic glove went off. After the heaving, stopped Martha looked at her glove in awe and found that it also had the function of a cell phone. Setting it up at around 6 a.m. helped as she slowly gotten up and wiped her face with her hand. Getting dressed, she turned on her flashlight and reached for her sketch book. She always kept it on the side of her bed to keep a record of her dreams. She pulled the pencil from the spine and began to draw furiously, capturing the dream before it fades. This one was very clear and she wanted to capture every part of it.

When she finished she put the sketch book down and grabbed her toiletries and did her morning stretches. Putting on some decent clothes she made her way down to the mess hall for some food. She had a lot of work today.

When she got there, she was greeted by Dr. Alenkov, Dr. Kimber, Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Jackson, Hilary and Ichigo. They were also greeted by another person whom Martha briefly met, who was also one of the 'test subjects' - a guy named Nathan Mathews, who hailed from Australia. The guy barely noticed Martha, since he worked in another part of the ship. When the introductions were made, Alenkov then rose greeting all the scientists there.

"Greetings people!" she said

A bunch of good mornings followed and some grumbling. Alenkov smiled as she said it again, "I said GOOD MORNING!" she said and this time everyone repeated the greeting.

"Good, now that I have everybody's attention there is something that I have to say. Last night it has come to my attention that our computer systems have been bugged." she said and was immediately met with loud protests coming from all across the mess hall.

Alenkov held up her hand, "I know what most of you are thinking and that my friends is our research that is being stolen by some third party. I will have to say it ends here!" she said.

Everyone at the table has their attention on Alenkov now as she walked towards the front. Her blonde hair was tied up in a bun and her ghostly pale skin was illuminated by the many lights of the mess hall.

"Our newest member Martha has found a bug after doing a scan with an alien device that somehow ended up on her arm. We have found several others on different computers. This morning, Martha, along with Dr.'s Kimber, Jenkins, and Mathews, will be locating these devices and removing them from our systems." at this, one hand was raised and a man stood up.

He was rather thin with shallow features and a frail appearance, "How do you know that these devices won't explode?" he asked.

This time Martha stood up, "So far they are standardized government bugs, not bombs. If they are to be removed, the bugs will only try to fry your system. But I have dealt with this before, so I know how to remove them without damaging the systems." she said

"And how do you know that?" asked another, "From your profile you are just an ordinary civilian,"

"I learned my tech skills as a hobby, because back on Molokai, there are no techs to fix your computers; you have to learn on your own. So I learned on my own and now I am able to put those skills to use," Martha replied.

At this everyone started to whisper, "How do we know that it was not you who placed the devices?" at this people started to grumble.

Rolling her eyes, Martha pulled up the alien device, and that silenced the crowd. She typed a few keys in and a holographic image of the ship appeared. Then red signals began to show on the ship from all stations, and the warnings that followed also made themselves known.

"Ok, we see your point," the first man said as he sat back down.

"We will begin in the Marine Science Labs and make our way towards the Communications area. We will track down all the bugs till we find the central router. It is this router that sends the signals from the bugs to the surface. If we could find that..." Martha was interrupted by a man running in from the communications room, just in front of the mess hall.

"Dr. Alenkov! A message from the surface, they said it is urgent!" and with that, he was gone.

Alenkov excused herself making her way forwards towards where the communications room was.

Dr. Kimber stood up taking over where Martha left off, "After breakfast, we will start with the Marine Science Labs and then make our way to the Communications. There, we will check every single possibility to ensure that our research is safe. I would recommend that you start backing up your stuff and securing it in safe files. If there is a security breach then we will want to know about it. Major Lawoski, who is in charge of security, has been fully briefed earlier this morning by Dr. Alenkov and will also be joining us along with some of his men. That is all for now folks, so finish off your food and let's get to work." with that, Dr. Kimber sat back down.

Martha continued to eat her breakfast, fully aware of what was going to happen. As she finished her, food she looked at the tool that she has on her arm. She fiddled with it, having explored some of the possibilities of what it can do before she went to bed the night before. And it was after she had put it on that her dreams started to get more vivid, more real. Her daily sessions with the psychiatrist helped to sort that out and she continued to wonder about this ship. The others did not make sense of their dreams like Mart did. She often wondered about that, but right now, Martha could not think of anything more. But the more Martha thought about why her dreams were more vivid then the others, the more it started to make sense to her.

Most of the other Element Zero patients like her were engineers or plain workers and folks from the poorest parts of any nation. Those that do come from more wealthy nations or parts of those nations had children who were educated in Business or financial works. Even others who were fisherman or construction workers. Martha often wondered about the origins of some of the test subjects and they all made sense to her.

Out of all the test subjects, Martha is the only subject who had a side of creativity, meaning she is the only one with any sort of artistic ability. She also noticed that there was a lack of music or anything of any sort of entertainment value here. Usually, if anyone were to go anywhere, there was some sort of music.

There was none here. That would explain why there was such a thick atmosphere of foreboding here and that was probably why so many subjects are prone to mental instability. Maybe she could suggest to both Dr. Alenkov and the psychiatrist that they should have some form of music here. When she showed the psychiatrist her sketchbook she was the only one who draws out her dreams. Others would write them but Martha showed visual records of them.

She often felt like the only one to ever attempted to visually record their dreams. The others wrote it down in journals while she drew them on sketchbooks. As she pondered this, she looked to her left hand. Never in her lifetime has she ever dreamed of coming to this prison.

As much as she wants to stay, she would like to go home. She misses her family greatly and she misses Aaron. Sighing she stood up to begin getting to work.

This was going to be a long day.

TBC


	9. Bad News and Rationing

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Sorry it took so long guys I have been having trouble trying to get things underway as far as keeping up with my beta who is on the other side of the world. You are awesome by the way and dealing with my job and real life. So I apologize for it. When the last chapter came out it was around two or three weeks after I had gotten it from my beta! How bad is that! Anyhow if you people like the story please give a review and remember no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS OR BASHINGS PLEASE!**

 **Thanks a million.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 8: Bad News and Rationing**

It was nearly four hours after Dr. Alenkov had made the announcement, and so far, they had found six of the nearly thirty signals in the ship. Most of it was in the Tech division and the Analysis area of the labs. It seems that whoever wanted to know about aliens and alien tech wanted to do so with the sole purpose of using their technology against them. Martha was sure that they wanted this information for military purposes; if not for their own gains, then to spread anti-alien propaganda to help with their cause of making money.

After pulling out the latest bug from someone's laptop in the Marine Science Lab, Martha was starting to see a pattern. Using the device on her arm, she was able to see just where the device was; most importantly: what part of the lab that device was planted in. She also began tracking where others were planted and where the signals were originating from.

It was not just laptops that were bugged: it was also notebooks, tablets, and cell phones that were infected by viruses and spyware. Major Lawoski, who runs security on the ship, was a former analyst for the C.I.A. And, seeing as he can hack his way into the nit and gritty of the computer software, he was able to find out that all the Department Heads had been hacked. Martha luckily didn't have the sort of spyware on her computer thanks to Aaron's interference.

Martha's boyfriend Aaron is very paranoid and, as a precaution, would install security on to both his and Martha's computers. The various adblockers, firewalls, and anti-spyware programs on the computer prevent most viruses and other nasty programs from getting onto her laptop. Martha herself also checked her own computer to make sure it was not bugged. Thankfully it was not and she ensured that no one had access to it.

Martha then had Lawoski get rid of the malignant programs while she worked on taking out the bugs. She figured out that by simulating the signals of the computer the bug could be fooled into thinking that it was still attached while she took it out of the circuit board. When she was done she then squashed it with her foot. She used her device to allow her to create a three-dimensional view of the bugs to see if there are any identifying marks as to where they came from.

So far, there were none.

But that did not stop them from trying. The bugs are about two inches long and about one inch wide. They are at least half a centimeter thick which makes it very useful for hiding. They were well hidden just under where the hard drive and the R.A.M. chips are located. Which for Martha makes it a lot easier and faster to remove them. Laptops don't have all that much empty space inside them, so most likely, whoever were planting the bugs had to seemingly hope for the best instead of opening the cases on each computer. The only question they had to ask was, who wanted all this information this badly? Some governments are willing to spend a fortune to finding out such information. Others just wanted gain the alien tech to up other nations and gain supremacy. Which one nation or group of nations, the United Nations has a right to know. Martha and her team are determined to find out just who did it and why.

It was nearing lunch time and Martha stopped to take a break. The team has been working hard to try and get the bugs out. So far they had only just pulled out bug number seven, which by far was the most difficult. The bug had been hidden in one of the four communications computers used to send video messages to the surface. This angered some people about privacy - especially Dr. Alenkov, who had been sending messages to her husband. Martha was sure that whoever wanted the private information would gladly use it to their advantage. Martha was just glad she does not send video messages, just emails, and uses her own personal laptop instead of these machines.

After they had removed the bug which took a good forty-five minutes, Major Lawoski requested lunch. Since his stomach started to growl and protest, he needed to rest. The others felt the same and Martha had to agree. It was time to eat and to recuperate before going on the hunt for any more bugs.

Martha had just entered the restroom to wash her hands when her walkie came to life.

" _All personnel report to the Mess Hall immediately,"_ came Dr. Alenkov's voice.

" _All personnel report to the Mess Hall immediately,"_ it was repeated.

Martha quickly finished washing her hands and hurried towards the Mess area.

When she arrived, a lot of confused people were there, along with the security team she was assigned to. Sitting down near the exit - since it was crowded - she sat down next to Major Reynolds, another security officer onboard the vessel. He is a British man and a former pilot of the Royal Air Force. Nowadays he spends his time playing security guard. When Martha looked around, she spotted several other figures Hilary and Ichigo along with Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson. The noise was deafening, and for Martha's sensitive hearing it was nearly insufferable. It was only when Dr. Alenkov entered the room with a look of exasperation on her face did silence enter the Mess Hall.

"I am sorry for calling you here all so soon, but I have an announcement to make," she said. Her voice was quivering and it sounded sad.

"The call I had received this morning at breakfast was the Guam Harbor Patrol. They have reported that the _Ocean Odyssey_ has gone missing." At this people started to whisper. Martha could hear some of the people wondering in both curiosity and fear what is happening.

"Maybe the ship went out of range of the harbor's sonar?" said one person.

"Impossible, most major ports have satellite feeds on all ships coming and going in and out of their waters. They are in constant communication with all vessels at all times in case of an emergency in international waters. The Guam Harbor Patrol would have been notified if something had gone wrong," said Major Lawoski who sat down in the front row with the rest of Martha's team.

"The Ocean Odyssey left the harbor as scheduled yesterday morning and started to make its way out of Guam Waters towards the escort fleet that was waiting for it to return. However when night fell just before it reached the borders of Guam waters it disappeared," Alenkov said.

Now the voices started to rise as people began to voice their concerns. Many of them worried for the crew and others onboard only brushed it off as not a concern. Martha's eyes narrowed at the announcement.

"It is the only vessel we have here that has the submersibles that provide us with food and supplies. Our desalination equipment was scheduled a maintenance check this trip and so we are going to have to ration our water as well. We needed those supplies to maintain our air also. The air we breathe on this vessel is harvested by our air scrubbers. They, too, were scheduled to be maintenance." At this, people started to panic and some even hugged others, crying.

Alenkov tried to maintain calm but to no avail.

" _How could you do this to us!"_ someone shouted as they rose from their seats. All of them shouting and protesting such accusations at Dr. Alenkov. It was near chaos and Martha had a hard time trying to stay calm. It was to the point where her ears began to ring as she put her hands over them to shut out the screaming. Images began to go by of a time long ago and a scared child. She looked towards the ground hoping not to see what would happen next. Her mind began to shut down and her eyes began to see spots.

" _ **EVERYONE SHUT UP!"**_ a voice yelled over the shouts and screams of everyone onboard. The silence returned as every head turned towards the source. Major Lawoski was standing near the front of the room. His security officers all stood nearby just in case things had gotten out of hand. Some of them had batons and various blunted weapons. Major Reynolds noticed Martha was staring at the ground and rocking herself.

"Are you alright lass?" he asked her. Martha was hyperventilating and so the Major rubbed her back hoping to calm her down. Saying soft words to her trying to get her to calm down and relax.

"Now listen up! You all know that until we get further information from the surface, all crew members are to try and proceed as normal for as much as possible. We will still do the bug sweeps in the area, and until we get further information, all non-essential crew are to report to their quarters until further notice. Any problems, see Dr. Zenger with your issues, is that clear!" he said at everyone's protests.

"Good, the team that is doing the bug sweeps: you will proceed as normal. The rest of you, to your quarters," as he said, and the scientists and subjects began their trek to their quarters.

When the crowd parted and disappeared out the door, Major Lawoski offered something to Martha. Looking up, she realized it was a can of Mountain Dew. Giving her thanks, she began to drink and felt her mind begin to slowly calm down from its panic attack.

"Mountain Dew?" asked Major Reynolds.

"ADHD. Caffeine calms her down and slows the brain down enough where she won't panic," Lawoski replied.

"Oh," Reynolds replied back.

Martha started to calm down after about five minutes of drinking the can. She began to breathe better and started to move around a bit.

"How are you feeling, lass?" asked Reynolds.

"I feel better now, thank you," Martha replied.

"Mart, do you feel up to looking for more bugs? If not, I will understand," Lawoski said as he leaned down to Martha's level. Being as he is much taller than her, kneeling is the best way to be eye-level with Martha.

Martha shook her head, "No, I nearly blacked out and I had a major anxiety attack. I think I should just return to my room for now," she said.

"Alright, I understand. We will recommence in the morning," Lawoski said.

"Thank you," Martha replied before getting up to slowly return to her room. But as soon as she got up, she began to see stars again.

"Woah there, mate, I think I should help you back to your room. You don't look so good," Reynolds said.

"Thanks, I would like that," Martha replied, Reynolds helping her to her room for a nap.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Martha sat in her room, finishing her latest sketch on her most recent and most vivid dream. It was the same thing over and over, and she was nearly done using the last of her pencils. She had resorted to sharpening them with her knife to keep the tips good. She also drew on her laptop to make sure the images stay alive. The same message keeps popping up in her dream every time:

' **What is my name!?** ' It was always the same message, over and over again.

The same dream and the same images...

And frankly, she was getting tired of trying to figure out the dream.

"Hey there," a voice said, and Martha looked up to see Hilary standing there in thick wool pants and a parka.

Ever since the rationing began and the air scrubbers had started to go, the temperature in the ship had dropped. Now, even colder than before, they had to suffer with trying to keep warm. The warmest place on the ship was near the Element Zero leak, and that was considered dangerous. But that has not stopped the more determined members of the crew from going down to get warm. Martha was one of the smarter ones, preferring the confines of her room to the chaos outside.

"Hey yourself," Martha replied finishing up her sketch.

"Ichigo and I thought that maybe we can stay up with you, if that is alright," she said and both she and Ichigo ducked down into her room.

"No prob, sorry I don't have any rations," Martha replied with a laugh.

"Well, I do," Hilary said and handed Martha a protein bar and some chocolate milk. The milk was still fresh, given that the ocean around them is around three degrees above zero.

"No frost bite yet?" Martha asked with a smirk on her face.

"Nope. Ichigo keeps me nice and warm," Hilary joked. She then reached over and gave Ichigo a quick kiss before sitting down on his lap. It was times like these that she misses Aaron the most. Someone to cuddle up to when cold.

"Nice drawings," Ichigo said noticing one of Martha's sketchbooks. Martha handed him one of her books for him to look at. Ichigo whistled as he flipped through the pages.

"Martha, what are these?" Ichigo asked noticing that all the drawings look nearly the same.

"It's my dreams I draw them to help me visualize them better," she said.

Ichigo, being one of the subjects just like her, understood the need to keep a journal. Dr. Zenger had requested it of all Element Zero subjects. He wrote in his journal describing the scenes with words.

"The first ones were from when I first came on the ship. And as time progressed they became more vivid." Martha explained.

"Just like my dreams. Did you get to the room with the two figures?" he asked.

"Yes," with that Martha flipped a few pages to the ones near the end of the first book.

There she showed the images of her staring at the computer and the words, "Password," were on the screen.

"You too?" Ichigo said.

"Yes and when I got frustrated it said 'Say my name,'" Martha showed the image with the same lettering on it.

"I kept telling Hilary how frustrating it was seeing this and trying to solve it. It is like some sort of bad puzzle on a video game that you just can't seem to solve," he said frustrated.

"I know and I don't even have the dream," Hilary said.

"Yeah I wish I was like you," Martha teased.

Hilary rolled her eyes her dark skin making it seem as if her eyes were glowing.

"You know these are pretty good, have you shown them to Dr. Zenger?" Ichigo asked.

"No," Martha replied,

"Well you should, it would help him understand our dreams better," Ichigo said.

"Tell you what, why don't you give them to him while I go check on Dr. Kimber and see if she needs any help. Last I checked she was down by the Element Zero core." Martha said, getting up from her chair and listening to her knees 'pop'.

"You just want to get warm," Hilary said jokingly.

"That too, but I really need to see Dr. Kimber," Martha replied. She then pulled out her left arm and the light from her alien device shone.

"Cheater," Hilary said.

"Likewise," and then Martha was gone.

DR. ZENGER'S OFFICE

"Dr. Zenger?"

Dr. Zenger was a German man of middle age with several degrees in psychology and psychiatry, and he was well-versed with the human mind. On the walls of his office were his many degrees and accomplishments like any other medical field doctor. Unlike the doctor in the medic area of the ship, he is oftentimes more busy than the medic. But everyone having to ration has them on edge. Zenger could see the growing tension rising among the scientists and the subjects.

"Dr. Zenger?"

He looked up from his current report on the latest group of people that had entered his office. To find Ichigo suddenly at his door raises some concerns since he is not scheduled in till tomorrow.

"Ichigo. Come in, I was not expecting you," Zenger said, his German accent clear for all to hear.

"I know Doctor, but I have something I think you might find interesting," he said and produced a sketchbook.

"What is this?" he asked taking the sketchbook.

Going through it his eyes were scrunched up in concentration. Then as he turned the pages his eyes suddenly grew wider and wider. The realization of what it is completely caught him off guard.

"Where did you get this? And who drew it?" he asked

"Martha did sir, I was just up in her room with Hilary for a nice little chat with her when I saw her finishing her latest sketch. She draws these images instead of writing them down like the rest of us do." Ichigo replied.

Zenger looked at the images with concentration again and noticed as he gets towards the end how clear the images become. The first images were a bunch of blobs which is common with all new subjects. Then as time goes on it becomes more vivid and some frightening. Here in his hand was proof of what the images are.

"Martha's artistic ability just may come in handy with helping us solve this mystery," Zenger said.

"How so, doctor?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, you all have been experiencing more dramatic dreams lately, since some of you were due to shore leave. Well, seeing as Marty is the only one with any drawing abilities, why don't we present this at our session tomorrow and see what reaction with the others will bring," Zenger said.

"Sure thing doctor and are you bringing Dr. Alenkov in as well?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, along with the other heads of the departments," Zenger said.

"Thanks doc," Ichigo said getting up and walking out.

ELEMENT ZERO LEAK ZONE

Now, everyone knows that this area is strictly off limits, except for those in hazmat suits. The heat alone from the core where the Element Zero originated from, is a hazard on its own. Already, Martha could see those who crowded down here for warmth. But the air was just thick with the smell of ozone.

"Dr. Kimber?" Martha said.

Walking further in, Martha noticed that some of the crew members were too busy trying to keep warm to pay attention to her. All of them thankfully were in hazmat suits.

"Dr. Kimber?"

 _Shit, what the hell is wrong with these people?_ Martha thought as she ventured further in. Her instincts instantly went up in alarm at the zombie state of some of the people here. Martha was asked to come down here to help Dr. Kimber explore the dangerous Element Zero Core or E.Z.C. as it is called. She was liking this less the further she walked in. Her hazmat suit was starting to smell with her sweat but she pressed on. Following the lights, she ventured deeper and deeper into the no-go zone of the ship. The part of the ship where the Element Zero oozes out into the open ocean. This was the part where it was super hot, heated by millions of years of being deep underwater. The magnetic fields that it creates makes things seem a bit… off.

As she gets closer to the core, the more the people seemed to act as if they were on drugs. They appeared to be dopey and unresponsive and Martha was starting to get worried for Dr. Kimber.

"Dr. Kimber, are you there?" she called out on her comm. unit.

" _Martha, is that you?"_ the faint voice of Dr. Kimber could be heard over her headset. Her voice sounded faint meaning either she was in a place where there is too much interference, such as the room Martha was currently in, or she is in trouble. Also, Martha could have sworn that Dr. Kimber was breathing heavily. If that was true, something is seriously wrong.

"Yeah, it's me. What the hell is going on, doc, why are the people like this?" Martha said as she followed the signal's strength given by of Kimber's voice.

" _Martha, you have to listen to me, ok. Get out now,"_ she said, her voice strained and now, Martha could hear gasping breaths coming from the Dr.'s headset.

Martha did not like the sound of it. It did not sound like the doctor was having any sort of sexual activity. It sounded strained and hurt as if she was injured somewhere. That alone set up warning signs to Martha's already paranoid mindset.

"Where are you doc?" she asked.

" _Don't come any closer they will find you if you do,"_ her voice was clearly scared now. It was quivering and Martha now knew that something truly was wrong.

"Who will find me?" As she said it, something ran past her and Martha's ears started to strain through the hazmat suit. The thick plastic and rubber coating made it hard for her to pinpoint the origin of the footsteps. Her nose twitched as if she could smell through the thick layers that make up the hazmat suit that she has to wear. These specially-made suits protect people from the radiation of the element zero deposits, but not from the heat. Martha's vision became blurred by the steam created by her sweat. Her glasses were thick with fog making seeing in front of her nearly impossible. Unfortunately she can't take off the suit or else she would quickly die of radiation poisoning, and be badly burned before that. Looking around, she could not see anything, but the sounds of footsteps could be heard through the suit. The feeling of fear could also be felt. Martha started to get a chill down her spine.

She was not alone.

"Dr. Kimber there is something here," Martha said, trying to keep the doctor online.

" _Martha you need to leave now!"_ Kimber said her voice was nearly frantic. This time she could hear the message loud and clear. The signal was no longer facing interference. It was sharp as crystal and the last message from Dr. Kimber made Martha determined to find her.

"Not without you," she said.

She could hear Kimber's ragged breathing and occasional hiss through her teeth suggesting an injury. She was sure that what happened to Dr. Kimber left her injured and she hoped that her hazmat suit was intact. The radiation from the element zero in its purest form is dangerous. In liquid form it is worse melting a person to nothing and leaving no trace of their existence. The only way to handle Element Zero is in powdered form and even then one has to wear gloves for it will penetrate the skin. It is like a drug on the black market one has to know someone to get at least a small amount of element zero. And it takes a long time to process it into powdered form. But it is the only way to transport it safely without a hazmat suit.

Martha came across an a clove of deep coral rock. She was sure she heard Dr. Kimber through here trying to talk to her. But as she gotten closer she saw something that turned her blood cold.

Blood.

Human blood.

Fearing for Dr. Kimber, Martha followed the trail, keeping her senses alert and her reaction to a minimum. Her senses were in overdrive as fear began to creep into her mind and her worry grew as she searched for Dr. Kimber. Following the trail of blood, she managed to finally see something yellow with her flashlight. Walking closer, Martha suddenly gasped at the sight before her.

It was a human leg.

Then the leg suddenly moved! Shocked and scared Martha shinned her light further up the leg. There she found Dr. Kimber sitting there holding it, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Dr. Kimber!" Martha said in shock as she came to offer aid.

She was badly wounded with a deep gash on her side, and her leg was twisted with the bone protruding out. If Martha had to guess, it was the Hazmat suit that was keeping the blood from fully bleeding out. The straps holding the leg in place provided a makeshift splint and tourniquet. Dr. Kimber's breathing was very erratic, and from the glazed look in her eyes, Element Zero poisoning was starting to seep in. Martha realized suddenly that they were very close to the Element Zero core, the heat rolling off in waves. It was a miracle that Dr. Kimber found the rock face to shelter her from most of the heat.

"Dr. Kimber, hold on, alright," Martha said as she looked at the wound and tried to remember all her lessons in emergency first aid.

Kimber grabbed Martha's suit, "Martha you have to get out!" she said, "You have to get out before they find you," she said, her voice was frantic and her fear was evident.

"Who?" Martha asked.

"There is no time! You have to get out now before they find you!" Kimber repeated.

"I am not leaving without you," Martha said as she tried to lift Kimber up.

A strange hissing was heard and Martha turned to find something she thought she would never see.

"Dr. Jackson?" Martha said to him.

Dr. Jackson was walking towards her slowly and Martha could see him holding something. It did not take long for her to realize what it was.

It was a gun.

Dr. Jackson's eyes were crazed and wide enough for Martha to see the veins surrounding the iris. Martha stepped back as he came closer. He was so close now that he lifted the gun up and pointed the barrel right at Martha's head. Even if he was a bad shot, he was close enough to guarantee a hit.

"Dr. Jackson? What are you doing?" Martha asked, scared beyond reasoning. Her breathing became erratic as she looked at the dark hold at the end of the gun.

There was no word that escaped the man's mouth, his hand was shaking, "You're not one of them?" he said, shaking. He was clearly scared. He looked around as if something was going to attack him from behind.

"What the fuck is going on?" Martha demanded, her mind finally coming to her senses.

"We need to get out of here," Jackson said.

"I know, but we need to see to Dr. Kimber," Martha said, reaching down to help the doctor up.

"Leave her! Let those **things** eat her alive," Jackson said.

Now Martha had gotten suspicious, "Things, what things?" she inquired.

"Some of the others thought that by trying to harvest the heat from the E.Z.C. we could restart the scrubbers. What I told them was that the scrubbers needed to be changed. The filters needed to be cleaned and redone, but they would not listen," he said with his head now hung low. Martha watched as if he was trying to replay a bad memory.

"The element zero was in a powered form and it somehow gotten into their hazmat suits turning them into monsters. The subjects that were with us..."

"WE ARE NOT SUBJECTS TO BE RULED!" Martha interrupted, her voice raised and her anger sparking, overcoming her fear.

"Alright, some of the _volunteers_ who were with us started showing massive amounts of telekinetic power. The Eezo in their blood was amplified by the amount of it in the environment. It was too much for them and they turned on the rest of us becoming drug-induced monsters," he said, shaking now. The gun barrel in front of her was clearly quivering as he removed the gun from her face.

It was then that Martha's eyes widened when a shadowed figure appeared. She recognized him as one of her fellow volunteers, this one she remembered as a man from the Philippines. She did not remember his name, but she remembered his face as one of those who worked with communication. He was glowing blue as he approached and Martha knew instantly that she was in trouble.

Pulling both Dr. Keller and Dr. Jackson, she started to run. Having to hold Dr. Keller around one shoulder, the journey was not very fast.

She felt something hit her from behind and she was instantly on the ground. Luckily, she was short enough where it did not affect Dr. Jackson and Dr. Keller so much. Fear began to grip her as she mouthed, _'fuck'_ several times as she yelled at them to run.

The other two ran as she tried to crawl her way up, only to be slammed into the roof of the small cavern. It was with such force that she felt several bones crack under the impact. She was sure that her ribs were broken when she was turned to her front. The pain was immense as she struggled to get back up. She could hear footsteps coming towards her, but when she looked up, fear overcame the pain in her ribs. The people she passed on her way to find Dr. Kimber are now heading straight for _her_ and they were not what she remembered them as. Screeching and moaning these monsters came at her. Their eyes hungry and mad with insatiable appetite. They no longer looked human as their bodies became like metallic zombies. The screaming that they created was enough to frighten anyone and Martha was sure as hell frightened.

They attacked from all sides as Martha tried to fight them off. The Filipino man who attacked her first grabbed onto her. His face no longer that of a human, his mouth opened wide, revealing metallic teeth as if he was never human. Screaming, Martha kicked him in the face and tried to get up again, only to be slammed into another wall by his telekinesis. Feeling the heat through her hazmat suit, she quickly realized that she was dangerously close to the core.

Suddenly, she felt herself being picked up by many pairs of hands. She screamed as she tried to fight, only to be thrown across the ways again, closer to the heat source. Martha felt something crack and, looking up, she realized that her glasses broke. Getting up, she could barely move from the amount of injuries she had on her body. When she put her hand to the rock to push herself up, the rock burned through her hazmat suit and burned against her flesh. Screaming, she reached for the nearest thing, and it was only a smaller rock. It was better than her fist, though, when one of them rushed her. The rock did not do any wonders, as the person's helmet protected him (and Mart assumed it was a he) from the impact. When she tried to punch him something happened, though.

Her arm flashed and the alien device around her arm flared to life.

Martha was shocked when a knife suddenly appeared right when she impacted the man's head, causing blood to spurt everywhere.

Not knowing what else to do, Martha held her left arm in front of her. She was clearly shaking, as more of them came out. Breathing hard, she struggled to get enough oxygen into her injured lungs, as she tried to fight the next one off. The other two were clearly gone which left her. She would buy them time if they needed it.

"COME ON, YOU FUCKERS!" she yelled at them.

When the second one attacked, she had the weapon ready as she remembered all her years of living on the street. Blocking the next move by the Filipino man, she rolled behind a rock and then came up from behind, stabbing him in the back, severing the spine. Blocking with her right and killing with her left, the group tried to get her but she was fast on her feet.

Despite her broken bones, it was her sheer will that kept her going. That, and the massive amounts of adrenaline. She was soon swarmed by them and she counted at least ten to fifteen of the monsters. The strange part was she did not recognize any of them! All of them were wearing hazmat suits but most look like something out of a horror flick. With the exception of the Filipino man there's no one Martha knows at all! Who are these people and where did they come from?

 _What sort of secrets does this expedition have?_ She thought.

She struggled to fight them off as more of them arrived. She hit another one, causing it to burn into a smoking pile of burning blood when it came too close to the glowing core. She had not realize that she moved even closer to the core. The waves of heat were starting to cook her, she could feel it through her hazmat suit. She started to sweat profusely as the sound of more of them arrived.

Now desperate, her hand burned on the rock as she tried to grab for a purchase. It was the only thing sheltering her from these creatures. She could only hope that Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson made it out alive and had gotten help. She didn't know how long she could hold out like this, and prayed to God that help would be arriving soon. She just hoped that she'd still be alive when they did.

MEANWHILE

"Help! Someone help!" shouts could be heard from the core room as Dr. Jackson helped Dr. Kimber out of the chambers.

The Security Team that was watching the entrance quickly snapped to attention when the shouting was heard. Grabbing their rifles, they quickly entered the area to assist Dr. Jackson with Dr. Kimber. They notified the medical team onboard of the accident.

"What happened?" asked one man.

"There are people down there who have gone crazy! They became monsters!" Dr. Kimber said.

"Oh god! Martha is still down there!" Dr. Jackson said and someone radioed Major Lawoski and explained what had happened. When the affirmative was given Dr. Alenkov was also informed since she is the head of the operation. Things were happening fast and as soon as Dr. Kimber was settled down the security team quickly secured the room, keeping whatever was inside from escaping.

The medical team arrived there a few minutes later to carry Dr. Kimber out along with assisting Dr. Jackson. Major Lawoski and his men had their guns out and put on hazmat suits before going down to help out Martha. As they did, they had no idea what is happening down in the core.

ELEMENT ZERO CORE

Martha was running out of options. The suit had been melted in some areas, from where it was forced her against the wall, and it was warning her of dangerously high levels of Element Zero. She was badly burned from the melted areas and her injuries had slowed her down significantly. The knife on her wrist from the alien device was dripping with blood and the scorched bodies of the dead were everywhere. She was fatigued and injured, with only the alien device as her only weapon of defense. Panting and trying to stay awake, she tried to hold on long enough for help to arrive.

Looking behind her, she could see the results of the blasts from those monsters' biotic power. It had opened a hole directly into the core and heat poured out from all areas, filling the room with an eerie glow. Martha's hazmat suit had provided just enough protection that she was not fully cooked when it happened. But even with this protection, it was limited, and therefore not enough to protect her from the monsters that came from every nook and cranny. It was as if a whole army was waiting for her here.

Trying to run from them was hard enough, and when they burned trying to get to her another group came to replace them. She was fighting a large group of them just as one blasted away a good portion of the rock that held the Element Zero core at bay.

Waves of heat came pouring through like a burning wind burning up all in its path. Martha tried to escape, using the last of her strength to get away from the core.

MEANWHILE

Major Lawoski and his team turned down towards where the Element Zero core was located. It is on the far back side of the ship, where the most of the debris could be found. Chunks of ancient coral lay in places that were not accessible to anyone. After hearing the story from both Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson, his team came with M-16 rifles, hazmat suits and a radiation detector. The Element Zero is dangerous to anyone close enough to it.

A temperature gauge was also on-hand, to help tell the temperature of the core as they entered the area.

They were about half-way down the tunnel, when Lawoski could feel the heat build up suddenly. Holding out his hand, he aimed his rifle. Suddenly, frightened people rushed past them, all of them scientists. Even when they were not part of the group that went down there, they made it just as they shouted "She is going to blow!"

Looking down towards the tunnel, a beeping noise suddenly appeared on his gauge. Turning to his gauge, it became apparent that there was a sudden build up of heat from within the tunnels.

Then, out of the darkness several strange people began to emerge. Blue energy was shot out at them, hitting one man and sending him flying into a nearby rock face. More suddenly came at them, forcing them to duck.

"Open fire! Weapons free! Weapons free!" he called out, and both he and his team started opening fire on whatever it was that started to come out of the shadows.

Sounds of gunfire erupted from their rifles as bodies could be seen falling. The beeping from his device was warning him that the heat was building up even more, at an alarming rate.

"Fall back! Fall back!" he shouted and his men started to pull back as more bodies started falling in front of the security team. It was shocking to see that most of them if not _all of them_ used to be human. The scientists who passed them probably had not seen them coming and were too fixated on the ship's temperature, failing to notice the creatures coming towards them.

Or the rising ball of fire behind them.

"MOVE! MOVE!" Major Lawoski shouted in alarm as he pulled a man up who had fallen over. Firing behind him, he led his team down the tunnel towards the exit, which was thankfully not far. Leaping over debris, and rocks he managed to get out just in time and shoved the last of his men through before closing the door behind him. The door itself was a huge metal sheet that was there from when they first started to explore the ship.

The door started to glow red behind him. It grew so hot that Lawoski thought that it would melt any second and cook them all. Several men started to spray fire retardants to hopefully keep the door from completely melting away. One person even went for a fire extinguisher to help make sure that no flames would start on their side.

When the explosion was done, the door sizzled and remained an angry red against the dark rock that surrounded it. Waves of heat washed over it, leaving those still in the room to back away from the door. When they did, the room got colder as the heat seemed to only flow from the door.

"What happened?" a voice sounded and Dr. Alenkov ran towards them, clearly frightened. She was quickly followed by Dr. Zenger. The medical team quickly assisted the security team in checking for any sort of injuries. Those who were watching the door had their rifles ready.

"You tell me doc," Lawoski replied, his face was slightly singed. His voice was raspy as he was catching his breath and manged to say those words between breaths.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"It seems to me, doc, that someone has smuggled in the zombies," he said pointing, to one that was killed by the blast on the floor.

Her face went pale as she tried to keep her lunch in her stomach. She managed to succeed, but Dr. Zenger, the psychiatrist, did not, and he was off to the side of the room hurling his lunch. Lawoski turned towards the Head Director.

"It seems to me as if someone is deliberately smuggling bodies here to be burned by the E.Z.C. It killed one innocent person and injured several others." Lawoski was dead serious when he stared into the blue eyes of Dr. Alenkov.

"Who could do something like this?" another one of the scientists who was in the tunnels said.

"That is what I would like to know, Doctor. Why are there monsters and zombies in the tunnels. It's like something out of a horror flick," another said.

"I recognized this guy: He was here two years ago and was released when his mental state began to deteriorate. I thought he was back on the surface with his family in Beijing?" one of the security officers said.

Dr. Alenkov and Major Lawoski slowly approached the body - the face was in a permanent scream. The bloodshot eyes and burn scars gave it a look that was clearly frightening. What made matters worse was the blue rivers flowing on his skin and the blackening of certain parts over the now destroyed hazmat suit. Dr. Alenkov recognized the man instantly. He was a scientist that was here a few years ago before the ship started to get to him. _Why would he be back here?_

The question remained in her mind, until something clicked and her curiosity and her fear began to be replaced by rage. Who else would want to warrant the disappearance of such an important scientist.

"I have an idea who might be responsible," she said.

TBC


	10. Getting some Answers

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Sorry for the much long wait so many things happened at the end of the year so many things….well that and a very bad case of bronchitis yet again! Thank you neighbor for blowing barbecue smoke into my house! Anyhow thank you so much for your patience it is much appreciated and to you my awesome beta for being patient with me despite the computer problems * ahem * (e-mail, e-mail). So as always to my lovely audience please leave a review after reading this and no FLAMES, BASHINGS OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE!**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 9: Getting some Answers**

Alenkov stormed through the hallways of the ship, avoiding rocks and debris. The other crew members quickly moved out of her way, not even asking after seeing the look on her face. The Russian woman made her way up a shaft towards where the communications array was set up. The person in charged noticed her appearance and turned towards her.

"Get me a line to the United Nations Science division now!" Alenkov ordered.

The man behind the terminal became rigid as he got to work, immediately typing in some numbers. Alenkov waited till the phone started ringing. She tapped into her bluetooth that she carries on her ear at all times.

It was almost five minutes of ringing before someone answered.

" _This is the United Nations science division Hayden speaking,"_ the voice on the other end said.

"Hayden this is Dr. Elena Alenkov of the Challenger Deep Station. I need to speak with you, this is a matter of much urgency," she said.

There was a pause and then the man was back online.

" _What can I do for you Dr. Alenkov?"_ he said

"It has come to my attention that there has been a breach of security aboard this research station. We had discovered that someone has been stealing valuable data from our computer terminals using government issue bugs, and have been smuggling humans aboard this ship to be burned near the element zero core!" she sounded completely angry now.

Again there was a pause and a sigh. _"Are you sure?"_ Hayden replied, his voice sounding tired.

"Damn it, Hayden! I do have proof, this is no joke and...why the fuck are you sounding bored?" Alenkov demanded.

" _Dr. Alenkov, do you know how many people come to my office with their crap? I take care of things you will not understand on a daily basis. Bethune should know, why didn't you call her directly?"_ Hayden asked.

"That's because Bethune, as I recall, is out of country at the moment with her family and is not taking calls. That is why _**you're**_ in charge as acting director until she returns. Besides, as Operations Manager of the Science Division, this is part of your responsibility," Alenkov replied.

" _You said you have proof of the breach in security what sort of proof do you have,"_ Hayden replied.

"I am transmitting it now," she said and as soon as she transmitted the photos that Lawoski and his men had taken just before she left.

There was a pause before...

" _JESUS CHRIST!"_ Hayden shouted from the other end.

"My thoughts exactly. While we waited for rescue, the Element Zero Core blew, leaving all of those bodies dead and one of ours as well. She gave her life to ensure that two of my scientists escaped. As soon as the area is cooled, we will retrieve her body to be sent home as soon as help arrives," Alenkov said.

" _Holy shit Elena do you realize what this information leads to?"_ Hayden said on the other end, his voice shocked and full of disbelief.

"Yes, I do: it leads to a breach in every humanitarian law out there. It is also an act of murder. Someone is behind this, Hayden, and I demand a full investigation as to how those people got on board this vessel and where they came from," Alenkov said, her voice tense with anger.

" _I will see what I can do on my end in notifying the board. In the meantime, I also grant you full permission to conduct a full investigation on your end to find further security breaches. I will notify the board and Dr. Bethune immediately."_ At this, the connection was cut.

Alenkov allowed herself to relax, her anger dissipating as she sighed. Turning back from the communications board, she then proceeded out of the communications room and down towards the main Mess Hall. Since it was the only area large enough for them to meet, it was a good enough place as any to relax.

When she got there, the entire heads of staff were waiting, along with the security crew who went to the core. They were sitting around the tables with worried looks on their faces. The room was electrified with apprehension and worry as many folks wanted to know what is going on. The muttering stopped immediately when Dr. Alenkov entered the room. The silence was deafening. 

"What did they say?" asked a Japanese woman named Dr. Inoue. She was taking over for Dr. Kimber while Kimber was in the medical bay.

Alenkov moved towards the front of the mess where she could see her heads of staff. Her back was rigid and stiff and her posture one of a soldier walking towards the executioner's block. She was not happy at this conclusion and dreaded bringing bad news to the entire crew. But as leader of this expedition, she had to take full responsibility to the people onboard this vessel. Slowly taking a breath, she gave the dark news.

"Today is a tragic day. As you all know, Dr. Kimber had gone into the Element Zero Core to take samples of the heated concentrations of Element Zero, and to test the temperature of the core. She and Dr. Jackson were attacked by unknown persons who were driven insane by the massive amounts of element zero. Martha Kahalewai gave her life to save both doctors from death. Until we have a complete confirmation that she is truly dead, I want a full out search party to search the core when the temperature in the core is safe enough. In the meantime, Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy of the medical ward will conduct autopsies of the bodies to find out the cause of the insanity, and to find out who they are and where they came from. I want to know who sent them and why they are here." When she was done the medical staff stood up to go do their task.

"Major Lawoski you and your men will search the core; find Martha's body and bring it back here. If they are any more of those _things_ in the core you have my permission to shoot them," she said, her Russian accent coming out fully as she choked with emotion. Lawoski stood up and gave a salute before he and his men departed for the core.

"Dr. Inoue, I want you and your team to continue the search for the rest of the bugs. Martha managed to find pretty much all of them, but if my information is correct, there is still the master transceiver that is still out there, find it and report back to me."

Dr. Inoue stood up and began to make her way out, "And one more thing," and at this Inoue turned, "I want you to check all surveillance footage coming and going from when the submersibles are docked to our ship. Find out if there are any changes in the cargo or the crew got it?" Inoue bowed and left the room, her footsteps crisp against the rocky ground.

She turned towards the others, "I want you all to pray and hope that we find something of use. If any of you have any information that we can use, now is the time to remember and bring it up. In the meantime, I will be in my office monitoring everything with Dr. Zenger. If you have any issues you would like to bring up, take it up with him. I will await word from the mainland. For now, we must fend for ourselves and hope that our comrade down in the element zero chamber is still alive."

She took a deep breath before continuing, "Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson have been hurt by these bastards and Martha has gone missing. I have no intention of letting those _Lokhi_ win. Is that understood!" she said and a chorus of 'Hell Yeah's!' could be heard around the room.

Everyone departed, hoping to find out more of what happened in the Element Zero Core. The air was filled with static as they raced away, hoping to get a chance to deal with the one who started this mess.

MEANWHILE

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_ 1200 MILES FROM THE CHALLENGER DEEP

Mark Cameron was in the mess hall along with the other hostages. The binds that tied them up were twist ties used for electrical wiring, though Mark noted to himself that he personally would've gone with zip ties. The metal in these ties, however, made sure they couldn't be just pulled or cut with simply anything. They were being kept in a crowded room under heavy guard. There were at least six guards with automatic rifles; enough to cut anyone down. Several guards roamed the hallways and there were more on the deck. He concluded that there were at least fifty pirates on this ship. From the direction they were traveling, they were heading north, but to where, he had no idea.

He turned to the side, seeing one of his cohorts sitting still and rocking in a pool of their own urine. Madaline De-longpre, a French woman from Northern France, was scared witless. Her dark hair and narrow face was shallow with bags running under her eyes. She was just as exhausted as they were and with the smell of urine and feces in the air. Cameron concluded that things were not going so well for the rest of the crew.

He turned to the other side where one of the submarine operators was currently sitting. Enrique was watching the men who kidnapped them with intense interest. Years of combat filming had trained Cameron to know the signs of someone looking for a way out of this mess. And the cameraman hoped that Enrique has some sort of plan and soon.

MEANWHILE

On the main deck, Tun-Yin sat on the stern with his two trusted officers. The captain was already locked in his cabin along with the rest of his officers and under constant watch. They were on schedule, the plan was to deliver any artifacts and data to his buyer in the Philippines and then sell the ship and crew off to other countries who could profit from such useful tech. He was well-prepared for any counter attack from the United Nations and its allies. He had worked too long for this, and the materials on this ship was worth billions to those who wish to buy it.

For too long, the combined efforts of the United Nations and the Space Foundations such as NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have taken the technology from the alien vessel without sharing the knowledge with other, less-fortunate countries. They were currently making billions off of the research found there. The technology has revolutionized those countries by leaps and bounds. Even global ocean research programs have found money to study the sea life at the bottom of the ocean. In fact, the submarines on this ship were the deepest diving manned subs available. Better suited for someone like him, who can make a fortune with a submarine that can go to the deepest part of the ocean and not feel the pressure. The things he could do and the attacks he could conduct on unsuspecting submarines were what had him itching to try them out.

That is, if his superiors allowed him to keep such vessels.

He looked down at his weather radar - a mass of swirling clouds became known on screen.

 _Looks like a storm is coming,_ he thought to himself.

Going over his walkie, he gave orders for the men to prepare for a possible storm, and the helmsman to alter course slightly to take them around the typhoon. They could not afford to lose this ship. His leaders would be very cross with him if he had this ship sunk before delivery.

UNITED STATES NORTH PACIFIC FLEET

The naval ship _U.S.S. Alaska_ was currently en route to intercept the _Ocean Odyssey_. The ship was of high value to the United States and its allies and they could not afford to lose it. The hostages onboard were of biggest concern to the _Alaska_ and her crew.

They were briefed on how the ship was hijacked and were well-aware of which pirate group has stolen it. This group is considered the most dangerous because most of them are ex-guerrilla fighters and special forces from various countries. They are also masters of naval warfare, being as they had been on the high seas for years, scouring the equatorial ocean for any victims that would be too weak to fight back. Several of them even bragged about hijacking a cruise ship or two, terrorizing the passengers and making off with their valuables. They were even known to kill their victims with military precision.

And that was what made this mission dangerous for the crew of the _Alaska._

Absolute caution should be used to deal with them.

The high-tech equipment onboard the _Ocean Odyssey_ was another concern to the _Alaska,_ as alien technology was also aboard, having yet to be studied. They didn't know what was onboard and how, along with several million dollars worth of deep sea equipment.

"Admiral, satellite has tracked the _Odyssey_ west at 0.09 dash 6.664. It is altering course, sir!" the helmsman said to his admiral.

The Admiral turned towards his companions, "Any reason why, Lieutenant?" he asked.

"Positive readouts suggest typhoon class category three storm heading south towards their path. Ship is attempting to go around the storm sir," the helmsman said to him.

"How far from the _Odyssey_ are we?" the Admiral said.

"We are about 2019.147 km from the _Odyssey_ sir," the helmsman replied.

"Speed?"

"We are at full speed, sir. All engines running full. The Japanese and Chinese fleets are also in pursuit and will be joining us in our attempt to take back the ship, sir," he said.

"Just remind them to be careful, these guys just might destroy the ship and the hostages with them." he reminded the helmsman.

"Aye, aye sir,"

WASHINGTON D.C. U.S.A.

Alexandria Wilcox was not pleased. In fact, she was downright _pissed_. How could something like this happen? She was not one to emphasize, but she was angry. Someone on her end fucked up, and now she was reeling in the repercussions of her decision. Looking down at the tablet in front of her, she thought things like this should not be made possible, but they were. Now, she had to think of something to cover this up. Looking at the latest reports, she was far from pleased.

Those people in the core were not supposed to be found. If they were, then it would uncover the biggest government cover-up the world has ever seen. That was why she ordered the bodies to be burned in the first place. The one place no one would think about that would destroy them. Cover up the evidence.

The Element Zero Core was supposed to be a place where no one goes because it is so dangerous. The intense heat from the core was enough to incinerate even the most microscopic of evidence. Those people should have been dead, and Alexandria was still reeling from the repercussions. How they survived was beyond her, and all that matters now is that she try and clean up the mess that was left there by idiots. Trying to cover her tracks was another thing that Alexandria was determined to do. Any connection to her had to be eliminated _now._

Taking out her cell phone, she walked down the streets of Washington D.C., getting a hold of her contacts. Once she had gotten to the right people, she began to give instructions. The instructions were simple; get rid of any evidence of her involvement with the bodies. She wanted to keep her tracks clean and was willing to do anything to ensure it. They could not afford to have the scientists and the test subjects to go rogue on them now.

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII

Aaron Stene was worried.

More than worried - he was _scared_.

Already, he had received the email by Dr. Alenkov, Head of the Challenger Deep Project, about the accident involving Martha. He had also heard on the news of what happened to the crew and he prayed that Martha was still alive. Her emails kept him up to date on what is going on onboard the vessel. She and the rest of the crew are starving and nearly without water. Soon the air was going to run out for them as well. The news broadcasts said that the world navies ware going after the culprits responsible. Humanitarian efforts ware underway to help the people down there so they can get fresh food and water.

But the news broadcasts were made after he had gotten the email from Dr. Alenkov.

What he liked about the head of the project was that she was a woman who was not afraid to admit the truth. She was scared herself, and Aaron wanted to help.

So the Doctor had asked him to check any news feeds about what is going on. Keep them informed, since their normal surface contacts are out of the question. Though communications are still open no one is giving them any updates.

Aaron is determined to end it.

He emailed her all the information he has and told her that he would try and help as best he could. He forwarded news feeds, articles, and thanks to a few contacts; information from within the military. That was a start, and even some of his contacts from within the government had passed on information regarding what is going on. He hoped that would also help with the lack of information.

Alenkov told him that once she knows more about Martha's whereabouts, she will contact him immediately. That is all Aaron could hope for. As he sat there in front of his computer going over his emails and contacts list, he opened up a Facebook page for the people onboard the alien vessel with any sort of information on the world. Thousands of people responded to Aaron's call with information and news feeds from around the world. Russia, China, Mongolia, Arabia, Egypt, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, New Zealand, Australia, California, New, York, the list goes on and on. And from Alenkov herself - she has not been able to get anymore information till they can get a team down into the E.Z.C. and attempt a rescue.

Aaron crossed his fingers, hoped for the best and prayed that the good doctor could find Martha soon. His worry had added to his already prematurely-graying hair. But he would do his best to help the people onboard out as best as possible. Hope against hope, he wished to see Martha alive and well again.

But that would take time and he hoped for the best.

CHALLENGER DEEP

Alenkov was busy typing away on her computer, her fingers gliding across the keyboard with practiced precision. The familiar tapping of the keys on her personal computer had enabled her to read the latest information from Aaron. She was not pleased by what she found as she read news articles and satellite feeds. But one thing was for sure: at least she had a way of getting information, thanks to the communications buoys on the surface. When the _Ocean Odyssey_ is not above the trench, the buoys act as a way for the families to get information and stay connected. Social media, thankfully, had also been a help. Aaron's facebook page for the crew of the alien vessel had helped her stay in touch with Russia and her fellows at the U.N. Direct communication is vital and with the generators slowly running out of fuel, things were looking grim. Alenkov quickly sorted through the information, using her training in the Russian Military to help her in her quest.

Aaron's contacts had one main suspect to whom was transporting people to the Alien Vessel for disposal: Alexandria Wilcox. The files he sent her contained evidence that a contact of a contact had sent to him regarding the incident. He was on Aaron's facebook page and asked to send something to him in private. The man's sister was onboard the vessel, or he believed she was onboard the vessel - one of the former scientists. The woman had disappeared some time ago, and Alenkov had yet to identify the bodies. The contact then forwarded the information about her to Aaron, who forwarded it to Alenkov.

Now, when Alenkov read this, she knew she had to investigate. She had Dr. Shenoy looked into the bodies they had so far. And, without a doubt, most of them were quickly identified on their databases. It was something that Alenkov was determined to put to rest and bring the people responsible to justice. It was found that the bodies were in fact people who failed the psychiatric testing for the Challenger Deep station. People who were originally brought onboard to help with the alien technology but, after some time on the ship, were asked to leave because of mental breakdowns. That is why there is a shore leave policy for all Element Zero patients. One month shore leave to rest the brain from the dreams. And then return for another round of working.

They are required to go through psychiatric testing to see if they are sound enough to return. Most weren't, and those that were often given multiple shore leaves to help their brains recover. Each time, it was the same thing, and those that failed were returned to their families with a full payout for their services.

Now, reading this report, it seemed that some of the darker aspects of science wanted to cover their tracks by getting rid of these people. That darker aspect was the politics behind the science of this expedition. Alenkov was more than familiar with politics, seeing it from many perspectives. And now, looking at the medical reports, these people finally went over the edge in the E.Z.C. Something in there drove them to insanity. These people should have been fully recovered and enjoying life with their families or, if they were insane, receive the care that they should have been given at home.

But it seems as if fate had other ideas for them. Alexandria, as much as she is a bitch, she knew how to deceive people. She knew how to work manipulation to her advantage, and when things are turned against her, that is when you see what she truly is capable of. These people are evidence against her and now she was getting rid of all traces of her involvement now that her operation is exposed. Alenkov smiled to herself, knowing that Alexandria's days are numbered, for the Russian woman had the evidence now to have Wilcox arrested for treason against the United Nations and the American Government. That woman had gone too far and not even her connections can save her now.

Alenkov smiled to herself. For there is hope yet. It may be small, but there is still hope.

ELEMENT ZERO CORE

Work crews were working constantly to bring down the door, but the heat has sealed it shut. Ichigo had volunteered, along with Hilary to help with the search party. Being the only one on the team with Element Zero in his blood, Ichigo was working to decode the door. The locks were in place for safety, and he tried to crack it as best he could. It was part of his job onboard this ship. With his face covered in sweat from the heat in his suit and the pressure of opening the door, Ichigo wanted to collapse, but time was not on his side.

Then, suddenly a beeping sound was heard from one of the few holographic controls nearby and the door started to finally open. From the temperature gauges, the room had cooled significantly, allowing them to enter without worry of being boiled alive. They had adorned their hazmat suits, though. Though the heat was gone, the radiation was still present, and the men did not want to take any chances of radiation poisoning. Still, in case more of those creatures were there, they held their guns ready as they walked in.

It was dark and foreboding, with some of the rock melted and crystalized. The coral was gone, leaving further traces of metal and exposing more of the ship. The core was cold - not a single sign of heat left in the core.

It was completely silent, with the only traces of those human bodies being burnt corpses. One of the security officers walked up to a corpse and touched it. The corpse, when touched, crumbled to ash.

"Shit!" said the security officers.

"Fuck!" another said.

"Damn!" said a third.

"Come on people, let's keep moving!" said a fourth. The group then peeled away from the piles of powder on the ground, walking away from what would have to be identified later by the doctors. They kept on walking, taking notes and video of the remains of the E.Z.C.

Major Lawoski walked carefully around the remaining rocks, searching for any signs of Martha. Her last whereabouts were near the core itself. Heading towards the front of the group, he turned towards his men.

"Alright, I want to split into two teams: one looks over there, on the right, the other on the left. The core gave us more maneuvering space, but be careful. If you find anything, let me know, alright?" he said.

An affirmative was heard from among the crew.

"Good, now MOVE OUT!" he called out, voice echoing from the walls, and the group split.

The room was massive! Some parts dropped down into lower depths, while others rose up to where they can't reach without climbing gear. They searched for nearly two hours, trying to find Martha, and hoped she was still alive. All they found were corpses and more charred remains. There was even some strange spiky devices found in the room where people had been impaled on them. However, once touched or the air blew at them, they crumbled along with the devices.

"Have you found anything?" Major Lawoski said into the walkie.

" _Nope,"_ said one member.

" _Nothing. That is a negative,"_ said another.

"Alright, folks, we need to head out and report back to Alenkov. We searched everywhere and found nothing, so I assume that she was burned like the rest of them," he said with great sadness. The others felt it too as they started to pack up to head out.

They walked past the core, with the glow of the element zero inside it. There was minimum heat coming from it. In fact, the blue glow was all that was left and there was still plenty of it for everyone to see. Major Lawoski was fascinated by it as he looked towards the blue glow. It was when he stopped to look that he heard someone shouting.

"Major!" "Major Lawoski, come quick!" the voice shouted.

The general scramble was all they could see as the security team ran towards the source of the noise.

One of the officers had found a glowing pod of some sort off to the side of the main drive core. It was glowing a faint orange and was the brightest on the upper left side. Lawoski approached it slowly with his gun drawn. Slowly, he tapped it with his barrel and it started to fall apart to reveal human skin.

Naked human skin was exposed to them, along with bits of what could only be plastic and rubber. Upon closer inspection, Major Lawoski knew instantly what it was.

A hazmat suit.

The hazmat suit was melted and fallen off in parts, leaving burnt flesh and bits of bone. The light was coming from the left arm, where there was a familiar alien device stuck to it. It glowed a faint orange, and made its appearance while giving off a faint ringing sound with each flash. The rest of the pod gave way to a very familiar face. Burnt and barely alive, the form no longer had any hair, and the tattered remains of the hazmat suit was all that stood between her and total death. Reaching for his radio, Lawoski quickly radioed Dr. Alenkov.

"Dr. Alenkov. We found her."

TBC

 **A/n: Whew that took me a while to write considering all that is going on with this chapter. Rewriting it took a bit of time to do and a few movies to watch to get some ideas going. When I first reread this chapter I realized that I left so much out and not much description into the story and why people were acting a certain way. So I had to fix that right away because frankly this was one of the table turners of the story before the big reveal. So anyhow thank you all for reading this far and please leave a review at the end an no FLAMES, BASHINGS, OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! Thanks.**


	11. What Was Hidden

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Thank you all for reading this it means the world to me. And thank you to my awesome beta for giving me a hand in my grammar issues. And to all you folks out there who had left me encouragement to continue I thank you all for that it helps me a lot. So please enjoy this next chapter and remember no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS AND BASHINGS PLEASE! Thanks.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 10: What was hidden**

It took them a while to safely transport Martha back to the medical bay. Her body was covered in burns and lacerations. The only thing keeping her alive was the alien device on her left arm. The doctors immediately went to work removing the rest of the hazmat suit that was melted to her skin. As they were doing so, Dr. Shenoy was amazed at the alien tech as it glowed - keeping Martha alive while fighting off monsters was amazing. The alien device had a blade protruding from it, glowing orange and humming with anticipation, like a lightsaber from a Star Wars movie.

Martha started to cough while they were operating; the sound of gurgling told the doctors that there was fluid in her lungs. Acting quickly, they managed to attach tubes and needles into her sides, penetrating her lungs and allowing fluid to drain while at the same time allowing her to breathe. It was tricky work as they managed to drain five liters of fluid from her lungs and place cooling ointments on her burns. The only reason they knew she was still alive was because the alien device served as a monitor, showing all the life signs from brainwaves to heartbeat. The doctors, of course, placed their own devices on her to monitor her just in case. Her hair was gone as well as all the skin on her face.

In total she was a total mess, and it was nothing short of a miracle that she was alive at all.

Observing her from the sides was Hilary, who watched the whole procedure with Dr. Alenkov. With what little equipment that they had, they worked on Martha till the early hours of the morning. With the worry on the ship, no one had gotten any sleep. They did not want another death to fill their consciousness. When it was over and they managed to do all they could, Martha was left in the makeshift I.C.U. unit of the medical wing. Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson were already there, though their injuries were not as life-threatening.

When the doctors left Hilary felt tears in her eyes as she watched Martha. Her breathing was very shallow and very ragged as if she has trouble breathing. Machines and tubes were going in and out of her mouth, helping her to breathe as monitors recorded her progress. It was heartbreaking to see her friend like this. As she watched her friend struggle to breathe, she felt an arm go around her shoulder. She recognized Ichigo as he placed a kiss on her brow, worry etched into his voice.

"You need to rest," he said.

"I know but….I feel as if something would happen if I leave," Hilary said, her voice hitched with pain, and her eyes were watery, on the verge of tears. It was a sad time for them all.

"Get some rest Dr. Ballard, I will remain here to keep watch," Dr. Alenkov said from the other side. Hilary said her thanks as she reluctantly let Ichigo guide her away towards their bedroom. Alenkov watched them go before turning back towards Martha: her body was covered in bandages with barely any breath coming in and out of her. Tubes came out of her nose, mouth and extremities. The chill of the deep ocean did not help at all as Alenkov shuddered at what had happened to her.

"Dr. Alenkov?" a soft voice said.

She turned towards the voice - it was one of the medics. He was an Arab named Amr Amari, and he was the head medic in this station. His white coat and blue medical garment made him stand out from the other medical staff. He wore his stethoscope around his neck, like a classic doctor from media, and a digital tablet in his hand. He was a typical doctor, one you would find in a hospital - not here, beneath the surface of the ocean.

"How is she?" Alenkov asked.

Dr. Amari sighed, "Not good: she suffered many third-degree burns and deep lacerations from where she was attacked. We had to pump out five to six liters of fluid in order for her to breathe. She's flat-lined ten times within the last five hours. If it wasn't for the alien device, then she would surely be dead" he said, looking at the bed.

The other two beds in the room had the other two patients safely tucked in and fast asleep. Martha was the only one on major life support. The sound of the medical equipment made the background noise almost deafening to some. But the coral rock has thankfully absorbed most of the sound that the constant beeping normally would have carried had it been in an actual hospital on the surface. Dr. Alenkov looked at the bed where Martha laid in, with tubes going in and out of her charred body. The alien device was glowing once again, adding to the monitors. Thankfully, however it was silent.

"If she survives, she will not be the same," Alenkov said.

"That is if she survives the night. We tried our best, but we are not a fully staffed trauma hospital. We have the equipment for an emergency, but not enough in the long run. It would be a miracle if she survives this, and even then, she probably will still be in a coma." Amari was a realist, he wanted to make sure that the Doctor knows this and would make the appropriate phone calls. Alenkov stared at him for a bit, trying to see deceit or any sort of betrayal. But she had to stop herself from going for the gun that didn't exist on her side. Taking a deep breath Alenkov listened to the constant beeping of the life support systems. She could hear Martha struggling to breathe with the tubes going into her mouth. Reluctantly, she had to agree with Dr. Amari.

"I will inform her family of what is going on," she said sadly, feeling the wetness of tears starting to form as she turned away from the hospital bed and walked away.

Amari looked towards the bed that contained the burn victim dying on the bed. He noticed that her brain waves were flat with minimum activity. That meant she was either brain dead or in heavy coma. The alien device was nowhere to be seen. After the operation, it ceased to function. To Dr. Amari, that was not a good sign, which meant that Martha could die likely within the next few hours. Sighing, he checked her vitals once more before closing the privacy curtains around the bed.

DR ALENKOV'S OFFICE

Alenkov was at her desk, typing an email away to all of Martha's family, informing them of the situation and the inevitable. Tears stung her eyes as she typed away. It hurts when she has to fill letters to family members of her crew. As she typed, she read what she wrote, making sure her grammar was correct before sending the e-mail. When she did so, Alenkov gave a sad sigh; the feeling of hopelessness came to her as she listened to the faint sounds of the ocean just outside the hull. The eerie silence of the dark abyss beyond the ship was in a way a comfort and an entrapping entity to Dr. Alenkov. She found it claustrophobic at times, but most times, an oasis from life beyond the depths.

Today, however, it leaned more towards hopelessness as she read through her e-mails. The buoy that relays communications from beyond the trench was still working. However, she didn't not know when the generators on the alien vessel were going to go out. The gas that ran the generators was starting to get low and people were rationing power. There was no sunlight to power the solar panels, and so, they had to rely on old-fashioned generators. As she read her latest e-mail, dread filled her being.

The substitute ship that was supposed to arrive with food and water for the crew found itself to be ill-equipped to deal with the door onto the vessel. The people who tried to help did not realize that, to get onto the alien vessel, they needed specially-made submersibles... ones that only the _Ocean Odyssey_ provided. Alternate vessels can be made, but it would take too long and the costs are in the billions. No nation was willing to spend that much for a small group of people. Alenkov placed her head in her hands and wept.

 _Ivan, I wish you were here with me,_ she thought, thinking of her husband, who was out in space, while she was here, deep beneath the ocean. Looking to the side, she could make out the photo of her, her husband and three children, all of them grown-up and with families of their own. She looked to the list on her tablet, which laid on the desk. She did not want to look at it further, but as mission leader, it was her job to do so. Taking up the tablet again, she read through the lists of problems that the crew was now facing.

Food was starting to run dangerously low, along with fresh clean water, and the air had become very stale. The air scrubbers died, leaving them at times out of breath and gasping. Those with asthma were suffering the most, and after the explosion in the E.Z.C., many governments were considering pulling out. If they did, the people here were doomed to die without seeing the sun once more.

Alenkov had been on the phones and on the vid-cams for hours, assuring the governments that the core was no longer a danger and that they were safe. But governments will be governments, and they will cower under pressure. The only other news was Aaron's reports, for they have turned out to be more positive, along with her contact in the Science Division, back in the United States. Alenkov was happy to note that the people onshore were willing to donate money to come up with the funds to help them in their time of need. Humanitarian efforts were on the way to help her people as best they could. They were trying to set up a fund to build a submersible based off the designs that already were on the Deep Sea Exploration website. If they could pull it off, then it would help her and her crew.

But it would take time, and time was what they didn't have. Every few hours, Alenkov was looking over food rations and water supplies. Already, they were dangerously low, and without the air scrubbers, it was difficult to breathe. Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy both told her that CO2 levels were getting dangerously high, and without any source of oxygen soon, they'd be as good as dead.

The science divisions report also turned out to be fruitful, in the regards that her friends in Washington had discovered attempts to erase the data on the bodies found on the alien ship. Alenkov was pissed, but her friends has managed to recover just enough data to accuse Alexandria of treason. That alone would put her away for life, or possibly put her to death. But because their lives were in danger, they had hidden the files and sent copies of them in packets to Alenkov. The people in question had forwarded the information to Interpol, and Interpol was investigating Alexandria Wilcox for treason, as well as the murders of many multinational people. Many countries were looking for evidence on the bodies of the missing people. And so far, her contacts in Washington had done a fantastic job of uncovering the evidence. Now, it was a matter of dealing with the more immediate issues.

Looking at her watch Alenkov realized that is was rather late. It was past 1a.m. A yawn started to form as she rubbed the latest crick out of her neck. Getting up, she walked to where her coffee would normally be hidden. She cursed when she realized that the coffee had run out two weeks ago. Giving up, she started making her way to the cot on the side of the wall. Exhaustion creeped in as she stripped down to her underclothes and curled up in her thermal blanket. Her eyes closed as she became dead to the world even as voices filled the hallways.

THE HALLWAYS OF THE SHIP

Hilary, Ichigo, a young man in his early twenties named David, a woman also in her early twenties named Jessica, and a big burly man named Lucas, sat in the meeting room normally reserved for Dr. Zenger. Dr. Zenger had currently gone to bed, so it was the only place where they could have enough privacy to talk. Though Hilary knew Ichigo because of their relationship, she did not know the other three so well. But they, like Ichigo, were part of the subject group that was brought onboard to help activate and study alien technology.

On the table in front of them lay Martha's sketchbooks. They were spread out and in order from oldest to newest, with the latest entry being at the front. All five of them looked through each and every one of them carefully. Martha had thankfully dated them, from when she first started getting them to now, with other drawings in-between, such as sketches of other scientists and test subjects. She even had one of Alexandria Wilcox - though the blood stains on the side said a story they did not want to discuss.

"I barely remember that part where we see the terminal. I just remember going to this one place, and then I wake up," Lucas said as he scoured through one of the books.

"Why are we looking through these, when we should be focusing on survival?" asked David, who placed his book down, feeling bored.

"I agree. Why are we looking through these?" asked Lucas.

"Because Martha was on to something!" said Hilary, flabbergast.

"What would you know? You are a Marine Biologist not a detective!" said Jessica, trying to put up an argument.

"I agree with Jessica why are we looking through someone else's things? They are Martha's private property, not something we can use for survival. I mean, what do pictures of nothing have to do with our situation?" asked Lucas.

"It has EVERYTHING to do with our situation Lucas. Martha was here for what? Nearly four months? Almost five months, without going to the surface. That is enough to drive anyone insane! I mean, look at the other subjects, even Ichigo gets to go to the surface every month for a few days. Martha was never offered the chance. Why? I don't know, but if this helps our situation, then we can help her and maybe, just maybe, find a way to get off this sci-fi shit hole and go home!" Hilary said.

"We all would like to go home, but without the _Ocean_ _Odyssey_ it's impossible!" Jessica said.

"The thing I don't get is, why take that ship, when they can just use the submersibles to get down here and kill us all?" asked David.

"I have to agree why not kill us all? I mean, they have the means to do so, so why not?" asked Lucas.

"They are not trained to pilot the subs. And even if they convinced the others to do so, the chances of them just sabotaging the sub just to protect us is too much of a risk. Besides, if that doesn't kill them, then the ocean pressure would. I mean, look at where we are! We are at the bottom of the deepest part of the **fuckin'** ocean. One wrong move and we are dead! So why take such a risk, when you can just go for easier prey like the _Odyssey_ , which has all the tech onboard. Not to mention, that with the subs, they can raid other ships for less effort than it would for them to get down here. It is just not worth it," said Jessica.

"They want to starve us out then when we are dead come in and pick up the pieces," David said while nodding in agreement to Jessica.

"Alright guys we need to focus," Ichigo interrupted.

"Ichigo's right; speculating on why the pirates stole the Odyssey isn't going to help us. We need to focus on finding out what Martha's drawings mean. I mean, if she was drawing her dreams in the journals that Dr. Zenger gave us, then they are the clues to help us solve this riddle. I mean, it is like those weird movies, where the main protagonist has, like, weird visions or something about aliens. So maybe we are experiencing the same thing, only Martha has it at a higher degree." Lucas said.

"I agree with you there, Luke; Martha has one of the highest amounts of element zero in her bloodstream, so maybe that could be a factor," said David.

The others had to agree and started once again to pour into the sketch books to see what they got. Looking at the images from the first to the latest one they could see where things are going with the drawings.

OCEAN ODYSSEY

Enrique watched the guards change shifts, and it was starting to get bothersome. The crew members of the ship had been given their rations of food and tensions were still high among the people who are with him. He and the other submersible pilots had just been separated from the main group, and were now being kept in the engineering room just off from the main crew quarters. The captain and his officers were kept in his cabin while the rest of the research crew was kept in the mess hall. Years living off the streets of Guatemala had taught Enrique to recognize shady behavior when he saw it. He also recognized military training in most of the guards with them. The men carried themselves as ex-guerrilla fighters and marines, so that meant that these pirates were no strangers to combat.

Enrique listened as they conversed among themselves and from the limited knowledge of the language these men are speaking he recognized a few words. Things such as 'buyer' and 'Alien.' Are they talking about the alien tech?

"Micheal! Micheal!" Enrique said nudging his other companion. Micheal Cameron woke with a start, jerking awake as he looked around.

"What is it?" he asked Enrique.

"I don't understand Cambodian very well, do you?" he asked the film maker.

Micheal Cameron is a photographer and film maker, but he is also one of the submarine pilots. So when he listened in to the conversation his eyes grew wide before he turned to Enrique.

"We are being sold to someone in the Philipines!" he said to him.

"What?" Enrique said in shock.

"Someone hired these men to capture us and are paying good money to bring us all in alive. Whoever it is must want what we got badly, and if they want us alive, that could only mean that they want the research as well as the alien tech," Micheal said to Enrique.

"Then we must pray to the Almighty that someone would save us," he replied back to Micheal.

The guards ignored them as they whispered to themselves.

 _USS ALASKA_

With their allies gathering, the _U.S.S. Alaska_ and her fleet, along with the fleet from the Japanese and Chinese Navies, were closing in on the _Ocean Odyssey_. The commanders of all the vessels read the satellite reports from their various spy networks. The _Ocean Odyssey_ was not traveling alone, but was escorted by three other pirate ships, all of them heavily armed and fortified with modified weapons and armor on their ships. That means that these boys are not your typical pirates.

There was a total of eight ships with the _Alaska_ to make a small patrol fleet, the _Alaska_ being the biggest battleship and the command center. America was not going to use the big guns on this one. It was supposed to be a routine catch and bag. But when the _Alaska_ reported that the ship had three heavily-armed escorts, intelligence went to work on the pirates. When the reports came back, however, was when four more ships joined in from their base in Okinawa. They were supposed to arrive along with the Japanese Defense Fleet and the Chinese Naval Fleet. The commander of the _Alaska_ hoped that they would have brought bigger guns. But it seemed that it is unlikely they would get more than four more ships. If things are not settled soon, things were going to get a lot more dodgy from here on out.

CHALLENGER DEEP

The monitors attached to Martha's body went silent hours ago and the alien device had not made another appearance. The faint glow on her left arm was nowhere to be seen, and it seemed as if there was no life at all in the burned body. Dr. Amari sighed as he placed the blanket over Martha's body, tears filling his eyes as another life was taken before he could save it.

As the doctor turned down the lights, he felt something wet come from his eyes. He hated every life lost under his care. He has been through the worst in his home near the border to Iraq, and saw the horrors of war. He has seen victims like this, but none has touched him more than the woman who gave her life to save others. She willingly gave her life to protect those she barely knew. He walked out from the lab wanting a stiff drink and to wash his hands in the last of the sterilizer that he had with him.

If he had stayed he would have noticed that the alien device sprung to life again. The device has a last resort to give in order to save the life of its host. In its reserves was a special gelatin that is only used for emergencies, and at this moment, when the victim's body has completely shut down, it began to release that gel. Blue fluids also pumped into the body and started its cycle of healing, bringing back the blood and started the heart pumping again.

At the sound of beeping, Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy rushed into the med bay just as they saw the light from the device. Martha's body also started to glow as her brain activity started going off the charts. Her heart rate and her breathing began to accelerate, making every instrument and wire in her start to raise alarms. The alarms were so loud that they woke up the entire medical ward, and both Dr. Jackson and Dr. Kimber from their slumber.

"What the hell is going on?" Dr. Kimber called out grumpily from where she was sleeping in the far corner.

Both doctors quickly went towards Martha's bed, seeing, for the first time, the monitoring devices that were placed on her start to heat up. Sparks were seen from the Alien Device as electrical currents went directly into Martha's body from the device. Heavy coughing could be heard as Martha gasped for air while her eyes remained shut. Both of them were baffled with Dr. Shenoy also screaming, "Holy Shit!" from the sides.

This also alerted the guards at the entrance of the medical area as they quickly rushed in with guns ready.

"What is going on here?" one asked. Both doctors looked up in surprise at the guns pointed at them and at Martha. Just as they did, a clear gelatinous substance started oozing from the device onto Martha's body and even made its way up her arms.

"Someone get Doctor Alenkov NOW!" Amari said.

DR. ZENGER'S OFFICE

"We have been searching these images for hours and still, we have not found anything!" Complained Jessica as she threw down a book.

For the past three hours, the group had searched through all of Martha's books - even the printouts from her computer, and still they had found nothing. They were tired and grumpy. Old journals from other patients had yielded no results, either, and the sleep that they did get was still the same.

The others have not been able to decipher any of their dreams and it was starting to turn into a useless barrage.

"You know, what if we are thinking this all wrong?" said Lucas, when the group met for their breakfast ration.

"What are you talking about?" asked David.

"I was thinking when I looked at the drawings with the terminal - you know, the one where it says, 'say my name,' I think the ship is trying to tell us something," he said.

"We already figured that out already, dork, you don't have to say the obvious," Jessica said.

"You guys I think he is right?" Ichigo spoke up.

"About what?" asked Hilary

"About the whole 'ship is trying to tell us something' I think these dreams are the ship's way of telling us something. I think we need to find the answer to all this somehow, some way," Ichigo said.

"Like how? We tried everything, and still there is no way we can solve it. We tried hypnosis, dreaming, even mild sedatives, and nothing works," Jessica said and she was looking at one particular picture.

"Let me see that?" Hilary asked, and Jessica handed Hilary the sketchbook that was dated to just before they had received word that Martha had died of her wounds in the medical ward.

It was the usual sketch, this time very clear about what was happening in the dream. Again, they found Martha's shadow looking at the computer, but the angle was different. Instead of looking down a long tunnel, it was looking behind her. That thing behind her was nothing but a white blur against a rather gray background. The structure was the same, but the white blur looked to be words of some sort.

"Have you guys noticed this in your dreams?" she asked.

"I sort of did but ignored it, I thought it had something to do with the lighting of the room," Lucas said.

"I have been noticing the dreams becoming more tense lately; more lively, with individuals running around, like we were under attack. Has that happened to you guys?" David said.

They all looked at the image: it was some sort of large word on the walls. It was something that they could not pass up. Whatever it was, they knew that the blur was something important. Maybe a way of finally activating the ship.

"We need to find Dr. Zenger and Dr. Alenkov immediately," Hilary said.

MEDICAL BAY

Dr. Alenkov along with Dr. Zenger watched as the alien device finished coating Martha's body in a clear gel-like substance and injected her with some sort of blue liquid. The combination of both seem to act as some sort of body rejuvenator. She and Dr. Zenger were watching Martha's body begin to heal itself of all the burns and lacerations that had killed her. Dr. Amari began taking samples of her tissue and the gel surrounding her body. But when he returned to Dr. Alenkov, his results were astonishing.

"What have you found out?" Dr. Alenkov asked. Out of breath because of his excitement, Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy, who also joined them from the biological laboratory, was showing a smile on his face.

"The device is emitting a gelatinous substance around Martha's body like a mucus membrane. It is acting like some sort of first aid material. The gel itself is made from a sort of ambionic liquid that acts like a sort of protective coating. The blue liquid that was pumped into her is acting as a sort of stimulant, like what doctors in the E.R. would use to jump-start a patient's organs. Only, the stimulation is in the cells themselves and not the nervous system." Dr. Amari said, his eyes shown with a new found light as if he had found the holy grail in medical advancements.

"What about her mental capacity?" Dr. Zenger asked

"We don't know yet for sure, but with the amount of alpha and beta waves from her brain, I wouldn't know the full condition of her brain activity until she wakes. I can only imagine the medical advancements we would make with this new discovery!" Dr. Shenoy said to both Dr. Alenkov and Dr. Zenger.

"Remember, Shenoy, that is a human being first and foremost, not another lab rat for you to conduct your experiments on!" Dr. Amari interrupted glaring at Dr. Shenoy.

Dr. Shenoy looked down, ashamed as if chastised like a misbehaving child. Dr. Alenkov raised one eyebrow at the exchange between the Arabian and the Indian Doctors. Both were born in nearly the same region of the world, but unlike Dr. Amari, Dr. Shenoy tends to forget that his test subjects are also human. She sometimes has to wonder if _he_ is one of the test subjects himself.

After listening to the banter between the two, Dr. Alenkov got back to business, "Dr. Amari, how long would it take for Martha to make a full recovery given her state of injury?"

"The healing process would probably take a few hours, give or take. But I would let her rest before we attempt to wake her, unless she wakes on her own," Amari replied.

"Good. Keep me informed of any changes in her condition. I will luckily not be sending any e-mails to her family about her funeral. And I don't need to arrange any funeral services. Good luck to you, doctors, and remember to keep me informed." With that, Dr. Alenkov, along with Dr. Zenger, left the medical wing.

KAILUA KONA HAWAII

Aaron was thanking the gods in heaven for their blessings! Martha is alive again, thanks to that alien device she accidentally put on. He read the letter from Dr. Alenkov about what had happened and he wanted to cry to whatever deity was out there. When he first heard of Martha's death, his heart stopped, and the world came shattering down on him. His already over-reactive brain thought the worst when the read the e-mail. When he informed his parents, they were in tears along with his nephew. Her family on Molokai was equally devastated and wanted to have funeral preparations ready for when her body was returned to them. Now, however, with this new e-mail about her resurrection, he felt as if he could fly to space himself and soar above the heavens. That was how happy he felt, along with Martha's family, when he wrote them the text message and a copy of the e-mail by Dr. Alenkov. Feeling as if he was on fire, Aaron got to work on his latest findings.

The latest information that he had gotten from one of his contacts with the federal government had mentioned that someone had sent Alenkov valuable information and is now in hiding. That part, he already knew. The part that alarmed him was the one about the woman who was in charge: Alexandria Wilcox

Apparently, his contacts told him, Wilcox is wanted for treason and is now on the run from authorities. Her own contacts made sure that no one knew where she went. But all hands are down as who is hunting her. F.B.I., U.S. Marshals, Interpol, C.I.A., K.G.B. Everyone was involved, which got Aaron whistling. Everyone was angry and they were not happy that their loved ones and national citizens were forced to serve such a cause without just warrant. The expedition was supposed to be voluntary, not involuntary, and the methods that Wilcox used to force people down there was equivalent to slavery. Aaron's thoughts ran to Dr. Alenkov and if she knew about it….probably to some extent, but not like she could do anything about it.

Still, he needed to forward this information to Dr. Alenkov immediately. Typing his e-mail and sending it off to her, Aaron quickly did a viral scan before shutting down his computer. His brain was going a million miles a minute at all the craziness that has been happening in the world. Getting up, he felt his stiff legs crack and his mind starting to slow down with relief at being able to finish what he was doing. He headed outside to feed his animals, before heading off to bed. He had been awake for nearly twenty four hours and now, he could finally rest, since he was off from work tonight. Placing his head on the pillows, he hoped Dr. Alenkov was still alive to receive his message.

DREAM SEQUENCE

 _Martha once again found herself on the alien ship. This time, she was waking in a strange room of some sort. The room itself was rather large and lavishly built; something she would expect from a five-star hotel._

Where am I?

 _The question reigned through her head as she looked around. She found herself staring at a fish tank full of fish. It was amazing to see such fish swimming around. She turned to find a glass case full of strange ships. She walked up to the models, and found them quite fascinating. As she looked in, her curiosity grew, as she had never seen ships like these before. They were shown in vivid detail. One even looks like a cross with a huge hole in the middle._

 _Martha placed her hand on the glass and saw her reflection in it. She could only stare at how shallow her skin had become and how thin her face is. She then turned around to see more of the room, only to find herself staring at a strange looking hamster-like creature._

 _Its large round eyes stared back at Martha with a very timid expression. Putting her finger to the glass that separated her from the animal, she saw it come close to her fingers before hiding in the small shelter built into the corner of its tank. Curious, Martha had never experienced this room before in her dream. Looking down at herself she found that she was wearing an ordinary pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Not her parka and sweat pants, like she normally would wear when exploring the labs. Feeling her face, she felt for her glasses. Finally noticing them on her, she could see the room with clarity. Now that she was able to see, she began to explore more of this strange room._

 _She turned around and saw the door that lead to the bathroom. She could see the toilet and the shower were quite open with no privacy curtains. This means that whoever occupies this room is the only occupant, and that the door is the only way in and out of the room. Though small, Martha did see that there was a small shelving for towels and toiletries lining the walls. Walking out, she could see the large luxurious bed once more and the casing off to the side. It was also the first time she noticed the desk and the strange devices mixed with some ordinary things she recognized. One such thing was a black case with a silver medal pinned to it. Meaning that, whoever owned this room must have been some sort of hero or major company owner._

 _The other thing she noticed was the wardrobe and the table near the bed. There was even a lounging couch wrapped around it for someone's private moments. There was even another desk with a helmet and a strange floating ball in the middle of the table. There were even pictures on it, that Martha did not recognize. Strange creatures filled the images; some were tall and others short. There were also folders and books on the table. The bed itself had a lamp on the bedside table next to it. Sheets that look to be of the finest quality and a wall full of drawers._

 _She walked over to the drawers and opened them up. Strange uniforms and clothes filled the drawers. The larger part of the wardrobe had a floating image of someone's bustline. It was all state of the art and luxurious to her….too luxurious._

Where the hell am I? Am I on some sort of luxury cruise-liner or private plane. What the fuck is going on? _Martha thought to herself. Then she felt a stabbing pain in her skull, as if someone took an ice pick and shoved into through the top of her head. Images started flashing through her eyes as things became clear to her. It was an avalanche of memories flooding back into her. She fell to the floor, unable to hold back the pain as she whimpered and cried. When it was over, her memories of recent events suddenly and violently came back._

 _The element zero core, the monsters, Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Kimber._

 _Martha now knows where she is,_ This is the alien ship! Just….I can see it a lot more clearly now!

 _Fascinated, she looked around the room again, admiring the view with such clarity. When she returned to the desk near the front of the room, she found herself staring at a computer. It was the very same one that was in front of the large case. It was just like the one in the large room._ Wow, shit, this must be some sort of communications terminals and these ships...their space ships! _Martha thought. When she looked at the terminal again, it flashed in front of her and words started to appear._

 _It took some time before Martha could make out the words, but the familiar words on it became very clear. 'PASSWORD,' It said._

" _I don't know the password!' Martha shouted, screaming at the top of her lungs._

 _The words changed as it scrolled across the screen, 'What is my name?' it asked._

" _I don't know your name! I could probably come up with a hundred different names and none would have matched! I don't know how to find your name and I don't know how to get your name so don't give me that BULLSHIT!" now Martha was screaming at the computer._

 _She put her hands on either side of the screen, her mind giving in to an enormous headache as she stared at the holographic image. "Can you give me a clue or something, anything that would help me find your name? I mean, come on, I don't know where to start!" she said._

 _The computer screen went blank for a few seconds. Martha could only stare at the blank screen. It just vanished. The entire screen vanished! She stared in astonishment as it remained that way until it lit up once again. As if understanding her, words started to form on the screen._

'When East fought West during a time of war, when three kings rose from depression's ashes; one from the east, one from the north and one from the south, the north declared that he is God, the East declared that he is Emperor, and the South declared that he is King. The North killed the first race, the east killed the oyster, and the south killed democracy, on the sixth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the fourth cycle, the West rose from the sea to fight the three kings. The West fought the East and the West became victorious. Where am I?' _at that statement, the screen went blank, and Martha was left stunned._

 _That was something new; And yet it did not make sense at all._

END DREAM SEQUENCE

Suddenly Martha's eyes shot open and started to cough violently. Dr. Shenoy was there, immediately allowing Martha to bring up any fluids that were in her lungs. Pulling tubes out of her throat, both doctors let her heave out any fluid that has yet to leave her lungs. This continued for about a good ten minutes till there was nothing left but a woman gasping for air. She continued to choke and heave, leaving behind a bucket full of fluid. When she was done, she laid there like a fish gaping water through its gills; gasping for air and trying to breathe. It took about ten minutes before her lungs were satisfied, that everything was gone and that she could breathe normally once more.

Slowly, Martha reached for her now-bald head and held herself in her hands. A massive headache had formed from all the violent coughing that she had done. While this was going on, she could hear crashing items as things were being thrown about. Slowly opening one eye, she turned towards the source of the noise, and her eyes opened in astonishment.

Everything in the room was floating up in the air and was being thrown all over the place. Even beds that contained patients were thrown, and Martha's bed was the only one not being used as a sort of missile.

 _What the hell!_

As if by magic, her concentration broke, and everything that was floating came crashing down HARD! The noise was so loud that Martha didn't hear anyone calling her name. In fact, the sound of the crash is what drew people who were nearby to the room. Dr. Shenoy was shouting at everyone to get out while Martha was being given something to calm her down by another member of the medical staff. Martha looked down at herself and found herself covered in bandages. She then felt her face which was also wrapped up in gauze. Her arms were in casts, which made feeling her face rather awkward. Breathing better and feeling calmer, she looked rather sheepishly at Dr. Shenoy. The look on his face was one of total shock, and from the views of both Dr. Jackson and Dr. Kimber, who were on other beds cowering, it didn't take long to figure out that _she_ was the cause for the distress.

"Did I do that?" Martha asked, her voice coming out hoarse and raw. Suddenly, there was shouting and Martha looked up to see everyone trying to get in with Dr. Amari, who had been woken up by the noise trying to keep people out of the Medical Area. Dr. Shenoy then started to remove some of the bandages from Martha's face and arms. Just as he did so, the shouting came again and Dr. Amari was shoved to the side. A dark streak came flying into the room and latched herself to Martha's head like one would do in an anime.

"Oh my God Martha! Martha! You're alright!" Hilary shouted, making Martha cringe at the shrill volume of her voice. Hilary quickly let go when Dr. Shenoy cleared his throat, and the marine biologist looked at him rather sheepishly, her face burning in embarrassment.

"Now, if you don't mind, Dr. Ballard, I need to check on the progress of Martha's injuries, so if you could move away please," he said and Hilary graciously moved away, while Dr. Shenoy got to work. When he fully removed the bandages from Martha's face, he was shocked to say the least.

"What is it Doc?" Martha asked, her voice still hoarse.

"Um, what do you remember before your awakening?" asked Dr. Shenoy.

"I remember the monsters and telling Dr. Jackson and Dr. Kimber to run. Then I remember the alien device turning into some sort of weapon, a blade of some kind. I fought off as many monsters as I possibly could. But when they pushed me too close to the core….it was so hot and it burned! Oh the burning!" Martha said as flashes of the fire from the core came crashing back. The heat from the golden rocks melting away her skin and her hazmat suit. She could feel the heat and the pain as the fire touched her face and hands it was all too much.

"You felt your own demise is that correct?" Dr. Shenoy said to her. Martha could only nod a reply, the memories still vivid and fresh.

"Well….I don't know how to say this, but the alien device saved your life, Martha. In fact, with what you just described, you should be dead. But..." he was about to say something, but was interrupted by Hilary.

"Marty, you look as if you've never been burned at all," she said out loud.

Shocked, Martha expected her face to be in tatters. She expected puss and blisters to still cover her face. She slowly raised her hands and felt smooth skin, without a single hair on it. When a mirror was handed to her, she was surprised to see her face clear of any sort of blistering or burning. Not a single charred mark was seen. In fact, other than the gelatinous substance on her face, she was as if she was reborn.

"How?" she asked Dr. Shenoy in her hoarse voice. Her confusion was evident on her face as Dr. Shenoy removed the rest of her bandages from her arms and body. He had to close the privacy curtains to ensure privacy as he removed all of the bandages. The whole time, he was explaining to Martha about how she was brought back to life.

"That device on your arm somehow saved your life. You died, Martha, several times on the operating table, and each time, that thing brought you back. It is as if the device somehow connected itself to your biological functions. It senses your distress and your needs and responds to it. So when you were dying, it immediately became a medical monitoring device for us to see your vital signs. But when our methods were not enough it stepped in to finish what we couldn't, hence why you have that gel all over your body," Dr. Shenoy replied.

Martha looked down at her left arm. The device began to glow and show itself. There it appeared, as a monitor of some sorts, showing Martha's biological readings, from her heartbeat to her brain activity. It even went into detail about her water intake and her blood sugar. Shocked, she looked down at her legs and saw that they were nearly fully healed after Dr. Shenoy removed the bandages. The scarring of her burns were nothing more than dry scabs, nearly ready to flake off, and the stab wounds on her side and back where she hit the rocks was nearly completely healed. The fractures on her arms, legs and back were nearly nonexistent, and from the picture of her skeleton from the alien device, it showed the work it had done to heal her body.

"Holy shit!" Martha said out loud, her voice coming out raspy and hoarse. She then started coughing at how dry her throat felt, and she felt someone press something into her hand. Looking down, Martha realized it was a bottle of Gatorade.

"Here drink this," Dr. Shenoy said.

Martha drank it with a gusto and found the taste to be quite exquisite, "Thanks!" she said gratefully.

"Was saving that for a while, but since you are a medical miracle, that makes it worth bringing out," Dr. Shenoy said.

Now that the crowd had been successfully dispersed by the newly-arrived guards, Dr. Amari began taking down notes on the readouts on her device and on the various medical equipment around the room. He then took her blood pressure and temperature to ensure that she is fine. Then he proceeded to give her a full physical. Dr. Shenoy went to check up on the other two patients, to see if there were new injures from Martha's recent….episode. Dr. Amari wanted to take over to see for himself that Martha was truly on the mend for leaving the medical wing.

"She seems fine other than what's left of the burns and the bones still on the mend. She would have to stay here for one more night before she can go back to her room though," Amari said when he was done.

Just as he said it, there was a knock on the pole to the medical ward, and Ichigo was there. Looking at the group before him, he waited till he was allowed to enter, before coming in. When he got there, he presented a large gray object and two smaller ones. When Dr. Amari's eyebrows were raised, Ichigo quickly rushed past the doctor towards where Martha was sitting on the bed.

"Here you go Martha, Hilary asked if I could bring your computer and bamboo tablet, so you can draw while you await release," said Ichigo, and had nearly tripped on one of the fallen materials, when he realized that the room is a complete mess and nearly dropped Martha's computer in the process.

"What happened here?" he asked, looking around. Just as he said it, Dr. Shenoy returned with something for Martha to use her laptop on. Using her good hand, she happily turned on the computer and started up her art program. Then, taking her tablet and connecting it to her computer, began to draw not paying the least amount of attention to the others who wanted to know what was going on.

"Martha, are you drawing another one of your dreams?" asked Hilary, coming closer to her.

"I have to draw this! It is an important clue," Martha replied as she continued to draw, leaving the others wondering what it was that drew her to its conclusion.

They watched as the image began to unfold from her computer screen. The image, at first, looked fuzzy and unrecognizable - nothing but blobs of color - but slowly, with each passing minute, Martha's careful hand began to make the blobs of color take shape into something they can see. The image became clearer the more she drew with her pen and tablet.

It appeared to be a room of some sort, with its glass windows and large bed. The computers on the so-called desk makes it look like some kind of luxury office.

The model ships were seen also as she drew them in detail. She also drew herself looking at a screen on one of the terminals. She then made a box on the side like a comic book with the words, _'When East fought West during a time of war, when three kings rose from depressions ashes one from the east, one from the north and one from the south, the north declared that he is God, the East declared that he is Emperor, and the South declared that he is King. The North killed the first race, the east killed the oyster, and the south killed democracy, on the sixth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the fourth cycle the West rose from the sea to fight the three kings. The West fought the East and the West became victorious where am I?'_ Martha had to make sure she remembered every bit of detail in that clue. She wanted them to know that everything is going to change from here on out.

As soon as she was finished she showed it to them.

"By Allah, what is that?" asked Dr. Amari.

"The next clue," Martha replied.

TBC

 **A/n: Whew! It took me a while to rewrite this one. I had to basically gut the whole thing and add a whole bunch to it. After rereading the original file (Thank God I still had it!) I found that there was a lot of holes in it that had to be fixed. One of them being Martha's dream the other the reactions of the people around her. What where they doing exactly? The original story I wrote kind of rushed this and made it seem as if no one cared at all and made me look as if I was a retard. Plus it is good to know that things are starting to look better. Till next time.**


	12. The Meaning of a Name

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Oh my how people slowly but surely fav and follow. But still I thank you all for coming here and making it this far and to my awesome beta who is the only one who stuck with me for this long. You are the best!**

 **For those of you who are just now following I apologize for the extra length of this chapter. But a lot needed to be covered before Martha reactivates the ship. There will be a lot of skipping around just to warn you as a lot of key events are taking place. I also lengthened the different scenes as the original kind of seemed choppy to me. The characters in this chapter seemed static and the atmosphere of the situation was not being felt. I also deleted a bunch of scenes as I felt they were unnecessary to the overall chapter. It took away the feel of abandonment and hopelessness for this story. I also added what the characters were feeling by lengthening what they were going through. It was rough and trying to write while your brain is drained from work. But again I thank my beta for his patience oh my God it was rough! But here you go folks the next chapter to...**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 11: The Meaning of a Name**

 _ **'When East fought West during a time of war, when three kings rose from depression's ashes - one from the East, one from the North and one from the South - the North declared that he is God, the East declared that he is Emperor, and the South declared that he is King. The North killed the first race, the East killed the oyster, and the South killed democracy, on the sixth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the fourth cycle, the West rose from the sea to fight the three kings. The West fought the East and the West became victorious. Where am I?'**_

Martha stared at the drawing in her hand. It was an image of the same room as much as she could remember of it. Everything from the bed to the display is etched in detail on the tablet she held in her hand. She did not want a single detail to be missed, but she knew without a doubt that she would have forgotten some details. But the one detail she fought her hardest not to forget and not to misinterpret was the message in the dream. She now knew that after that second message, the ship was speaking to her.

She had drawn the image days ago, when she had awoken from her coma. She was surprised that she'd even survive such a traumatic ordeal as the explosion in the E.Z.C. and was even more shocked when she did not suffer from any sort of PTSD. But Dr. Zenger had said that PTSD will come long after they get off of the ship, emphasizing _when_ they get off the ship.

Martha had just been released from the medical ward after getting a clean bill of health from both Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Amari. Both medical doctors were still in shock that Martha managed to survive and heal from being exposed to dangerous levels of element zero. What surprised them even more was the fact that she could function after such an exposure; it was phenomenal and requires much more research.

" _When East fights west in a time of war? What kind of thing is that?_ " asked David as he sat down across from Martha in the same meeting room that he, Hilary, Ichigo, Lucas, and Jessica met just a few nights before. They, along with Martha, were back in the same room after asking Dr. Zenger for some privacy. The Psychologist was more than happy to grant such, if it meant that they could get to the bottom of Martha's latest revelation. As they poured over Martha's drawings, Martha herself was trying to discover more of her newfound powers. She was currently lifting books and passing them to the others without trying to worry people. But things had not gone well, so her abilities had to be put on hold. Her stomach began to growl yet again in protest of its emptiness.

The same could be said for everyone else in the room. Food had run out a while ago and fresh water was used sparingly. The area that was the bathroom was currently becoming very smelly, very fast, with the lack of water to pump out the systems. The air filtration system had finally died, and so the air was as thick as jelly with everyone struggling to breathe.

"What I wouldn't give for a chocolate bar," grumbled David as he stared at the image of Martha, following the shadows of her drawing. Looking at the now newly resurrected person in front of him, he could not help but feel a bit of fear coursing through him at the sight of this woman. But that fear quickly dissipated as soon as it came. Hunger came faster than fear, and so they were sitting there as if waiting for death to arrive.

"What is there to eat? Practically nothing, since we ran out of food three days ago," Lucas grumbled. His mind just staring at the image he held of the blurred-out room. Lately, everyone was feeling the pinch of their bellies begging to be fed. "You know, I feel like this picture here, my mind is nothing but a big mess." With that, he put the drawing tablet back down on the table.

"Look, we can't give up; these pictures hold the answers. We... we just can't give up so soon!" Hilary said, her voice sounding desperate, as if trying to cling onto whatever hope they had left.

"How would you know?"Jessica said, getting up and walking till she was directly in Hilary's face. "We are stuck at the bottom of the ocean with no food, hardly any water, almost no air, and a whole bunch of alien tech. I know you science types love this sort of shit, but we real people need some sustenance to survive here you know!" With that, she stormed off towards her seat and sat down. No sense leaving, for there was hardly anywhere else to go that wasn't so miserable.

The only one not speaking was Martha, as she was too busy feeling the top of her hairless head. The burns were completely gone, leaving her head smooth and bare. Her entire body was completely hairless, down to the slightest trace. The fire from the E.Z.C. had done its damage, but the scars on both her mind and body still remain. The lack of hair, for starters, was one of them. But the doctors said that her hair will grow back in time, and from the itch and the dark coloration on the top of her head, she would have to agree.

Looking around, Martha noticed that the others were a bit off in a sense. The lack of food, water and clean air was a factor. But the lack of any sort of hope also brought things into perspective. Looking down at the drawing in her hand, Martha had not exactly let go of that concept. The only other person who silently agreed with her was Ichigo, who was listening to his iPod.

"You know," he said, taking his ear buds off, "this does not make sense. Why tell us to give it a name and then give us this riddle?" His Japanese accent was clearly coming out now.

"I don't know, maybe… maybe it had a hard time communicating with us?" said Lucas as he sat up from his spot on the couch.

"You make it sound as if the ship is trying to speak to us!" stated David.

"Um, news flash, dumbass: the dreams are an indication that the ship _is_ , indeed, trying to speak to _us_ ," said Jessica. She glared daggers at David who returned the same amount of animosity to her.

"Really? How so?" asked Hilary trying to remain on task.

"Um, dreams, hello? Didn't you watch any scifi flicks in your home country?" asked Lucas.

"Shut up you mother fucker!"

Martha watched as an argument between the group started among who was right. She shook her head at the stupidity of it all, but at least it distracted them from the reality they're in. Without hope anything could go wrong, and she refused to believe there wasn't any.

COMMUNICATIONS ROOM, A FEW HOURS LATER

Dr. Alenkov was reading Aaron's latest report while Martha was talking to him on the communications channel. She burst into tears when she heard his voice again, and Alenkov's heart clenched at the sight. Alenkov missed her own husband who was currently in space, working on the space station M.I.R.A.. It was a multinational space station and the only one of its kind. Their mission was to do deep space surveillance of the solar system to find any more traces of alien technology.

She could just imagine what her husband would going through if he heard about her being trapped on the ocean floor with no food, no water, hardly any air and surviving day to day; she could see his face in her thoughts when she went to bed. Alenkov is not a fool: she knew that everyone on this ship was thinking the same thoughts; they all wanted to go home and they all wanted to see their loved ones again.

And she is determined to make sure that they do.

Alenkov felt empowered to do what she can to make sure that these people get home to their families, scientist and volunteer alike. Martha's resurrection gave her a sense of hope. She wanted to do the young woman right by giving her, her greatest dream. This small luxury of letting her talk to Aaron for some time was a small payment for the months they didn't allow her to have one call or go up to the surface.

Oh, she was well aware of why Martha didn't go the surface. It was not a matter of want to but why. Every time she was scheduled to return to the surface someone would change it forbidding her from ever getting out. After finding the bugs in the computer systems, Alenkov now knew their systems were hacked. But Martha was not the only victim; several others, including those who had died when the E.Z.C. blew, were on that list. Alenkov vowed to herself that if she were able to truly find Alexandria Wilcox, she was going to make the woman pay for her crimes against humanity a hundred times over. With her thoughts wandering, she turned towards Martha, their resident resurrectionist. The newest mystery that Martha discovered has brought up many new questions to the advancements of alien technology. The ability to heal from such life-threatening wounds now only brought more questions than answers.

Alenkov pulled out her tablet. Typing in her password, she saw a picture that was recently taken of Martha. It showed her drawing the image that she also saw when she swiped her finger across the screen to reveal. The image is a drawing of Martha standing in the middle of the room with the image on a computer screen. The picture was a copy of Martha's latest drawing, showing that something or someone is trying to communicate with them. It was not much help to go on, but it does help in answering a few questions about the dreams. Alenkov wanted nothing more than to help the woman succeed in solving the mystery of the ship. If they did discover the means of this ship's function, they might be able to survive. Survival was of the utmost importance now and Alenkov wanted to make sure everyone on this ship made it out.

She looked up to see Martha laughing with Aaron. The smile on her face showed that the young woman was getting what she needed in this horrid time. Taking this as her cue to leave, Alenkov turned around on her heels and walked out. The image of the laughing couple was too much for her. Ivan has not called in several weeks because of the M.I.R.A.'s mission and simple timing of contact and free time. So Alenkov had resolved to doing recorded messages to her family and forwarding it to the Roscosmos Center in Moscow. If they could get those to them, then that is a different story. So far, there had been no messages back, meaning they either didn't send or reply to any messages. In any case, it made it hard to watch others speak to their loved ones. As long as they have power, then that is all that they needed.

Getting to her office, Alenkov sat down at her desk. She looked at the photograph of her husband Ivan and the rest of her family. Her three children smiled up at her from that photo. She sighed as she put the picture frame down and put her head in her hands. She felt a sob come to her as the first of her tears started to fall. She had to be strong for the others, but how? Her own inner strength was starting to fade and it was moments like these that she allowed herself to feel the despair that this place is giving to these people.

The tears really started to flow down her face as the sobs became stronger. Her chest hitched and she allowed herself a small moment to cry. Right now she is no longer Dr. Alenkov, the Head of Operations for the Challenger Deep Project. She is Elenna Alenkov, a Russian woman thousands of miles away from her homeland and her family. A woman who is lost and without family or anyone out there to help her. The sobs came full force as she buried her face in her arms. The feel of her constricting chest and aching heart was too much to bare. She allowed herself this luxury of privacy to let her heart bleed out.

It was some time later that she became aware of a presence in her office. Since there are no doors, there was no need for privacy. The only thing that separated Dr. Alenkov's office from everywhere else was a single curtain that hung just at the entrance to her area. She noticed that that she was in the same position that she was in when she started crying; Dr. Alenkov didn't realize she had fallen asleep, until the presence made itself known. Surprised, she looked towards the entrance to her small office/room and found Martha standing there at the door.

"What can I do for you Martha?" she asked curiously, her voice hoarse and raw.

Martha shuffled her feet as if nervous for what she was about to ask. Her bald head made Dr. Alenkov laugh as she saw the girl look quite adorable though a little plastic as her eyes were often times watery with lack of eyelashes to clear away bits of dust and irritants.

"I am sorry to disturb you at such a private moment ma'am but," she said, when Alenkov raised her hand to silence her. The smile on her face was one of relief, as the young woman was aware that she walked in on a private moment.

"It is alright Martha, I was just thinking about my family, is all," Alenkov replied as she indicated that Martha can enter. She quickly looked at her things and found that her reflection in the mirror was one that would frighten a lot of people. Her face was shallow with dark circles under her eyes and purple bruise marks appearing on her face.

"I was wanting to know if you could help me with solving the riddle ma'am," Martha blurted from behind her.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Alenkov replied as she was a bit distracted by her appearance. Turning her head, she saw Martha shuffle her feet a bit before repeating herself.

"I asked if you could help us in solving the riddle, ma'am?" Martha politely repeated.

"What riddle?" Dr. Alenkov asked, then remembered the image that Martha forwarded to her the day before she was released from the medical wing.

"The one that I forwarded to you yesterday; it was of my dream," Martha replied.

Alenkov reached towards her desk and pulled up her tablet. Turning on the tablet she put in her password and the image appeared again clear as day. She read through the riddle that was presented in the image before turning towards the young woman before her. It was confusing to her as she was skimming through it. The scene of Martha in the bedroom was a lot to handle but it was something that was different to what people normally saw. But, sadly, she could not figure out the riddle herself, as it was as confusing as it was strange to her.

"There is not much to say, Martha. That riddle has me confused as well. It could be talking about Earth or it could be talking about other planets, we don't know for sure what it is talking about" she said shrugging.

Martha sighed as she looked at her drawing again.

" _ **When East fought West during a time of war, when three kings rose from depressions ashes…..**_ _"_ was the first line. It had Alenkov confused as she could think of a thousand things that could have that same meaning. _War? What war? Is it on this planet? In this galaxy?_ Her thoughts were going rampant as she looked through her files at the different images. 

Looking at it again she read the other clues, ' _Password: what is my name?'_ It spawned something in her about possession and the supernatural. But the things happening here is pure science and speculation. How can it be possible for something like this to happen? Maybe she is looking at this wrong, she has no idea. But the images sparked an interest in her that she has no idea what to do with. So, reluctantly, she closed it and turned the tablet off. Looking up she spotted Martha near the bookshelf going through the various books that she owned. Most of them talked about strategy, war and history with another shelf dedicated to science and technology. Alenkov was very organized and kept her office that way. Out of all the rooms here on the ship hers was the cleanest. With such organizational skills, there was still not a speck of salt or dust in her area. Behind her was her living quarters with her own cot that served as a bed. She would get up to get something to drink from the small refrigerator on the side. Her office, which consisted of a small desk and a laptop computer with a printer and pen jar, was all that she had.

She nearly laughed at the childlike curiosity that Martha was showing as the young woman explored her office. Though she admitted that she never really took the time to explore it Alenkov let her explore.

MEANWHILE

Martha, in her curiosity, looked at the books that lined the shelves of Dr. Alenkov's office/room. They filled her with interest, as there were many aspects of history and many books she could not understand, but knew the content. She smirked as she recognized the language written on most of the covers to be in Russian, since that is where the director was from. As she inspected the shelves, something caught her eye. Coming closer, she spotted books with images that she recognized from movies she had seen on television.

"You like to study about war?" Martha asked, looking at the books on the shelf. At this Dr. Alenkov smiled as she looked at them with a sense of pride to her voice.

"I was an intelligence officer for the Russian Military before I became director for the Challenger Deep Project" was her reply to Martha. A smile formed on her face as she walked up to the young woman. Martha held something in her eyes that Alenkov rarely saw, admiration. Most of the time, when someone mentions that you are in the Russian Military, they are afraid and want nothing to do with you. Russia has not had the best reputation for their military prowess.

"Wow, I tried to get into the military, but I did not pass my physical and my psychological tests," Martha admitted sheepishly.

"ADHD am I correct?" Alenkov asked

Martha nodded her head, "Borderline asthmatic as well." Alenkov looked at the young lady and shook her head. Such innocence strikes her as odd, seeing as the words 'Russian Military' do not sit well with most Americans.

"Tell me, Martha, when most people hear that I was in the Russian Military, they would rather be somewhere else. Yet, here you are: admiring it as something to be cherished." Alenkov asked.

"Oh, don't get me wrong ma'am, I am well aware of where you are from. It is just that I see two sides to a coin. You know the good and the bad. Yes, the world does not like Russia very much, but I am a curious person. Even though curiosity killed the cat, I want to know both sides of the spectrum. So is there any way that you can make me understand your side of the story?" Martha asked Alenkov.

Now it was the Russian woman's turn to be surprised by the answer that this American woman gave her. No one onboard this station, much less the research facility, has openly told her that statement before. Though most people respect her for her position here, it was Martha - an American civilian - asking her, a former Russian Military Officer, an innocent question. Shaking her head, she leaned on her desk for a minute her mind deep in thought.

"What would you like to know about Russia, then, young Martha?" she asked with a smile.

"Well, maybe we can start with your family. I noticed that you have a photo on the desk there. Is that your husband and kids?" Martha asked.

Dr. Alenkov reached over and grabbed the photograph from where it was resting. Lifting it up, she studied the images there before answering: "Yes, that is my husband Ivan Alenkov, he is a Cosmonaut onboard the space station M.I.R.A."

"And your kids?" Martha asked.

"My eldest son, right there on the right of my husband, is Gannady. My daughters – the one next to me is Anna, and to the right of my son is Vladlena, my youngest – they made me proud when they decided to live ordinary lives. My son is an engineer for an agricultural research facility in North Eastern Siberia near the Bering Straight. He wants to see if he could find ways to produce crops that can grow in the permafrost of the high arctic. I admire him for his courage. Anna is a researcher for tropical diseases for the United Nations. She studies illness such as E. coli and Malaria. My youngest works for an animal rehabilitation center on the border to North Korea. She studies Siberian Tigers there," Alenkov replied, thinking fondly of her children. She turned to see Martha still looking at the books on the wall.

Standing next to Martha, she looked at each and every title there listed on the shelf. Reaching out, she stroked one with her hand.

"Do you like history Martha?" she asked with a smile at the younger woman's fascination.

"I do, my dad and I, we love to watch historical movies such as old samurai flicks and history channel when I used to live with them on Molokai. Now though, getting to watch a good movie is like a privilege especially, between work and play. I only get time when I am not working or with Aaron. Other than that, it is hard these days." Martha replied.

Nodding in understanding, Alenkov reached up towards the top where a few books in English are written. Taking them down, she handed them to Martha, "Since you are now stuck here with hardly anything to do, why don't you catch up on your reading then," she suggested.

Martha's eyes grew wide with glee, "You really mean it ma'am? I mean, these are your private collection after all?"

Alenkov nodded, "I've read them already several times; they are my favorites. Documents on the two world wars and accounts by soldiers such as some of the men who fought in Russia. I even read several accounts by civilians themselves before these books were written. Why don't you borrow them and tell me what you think?" Alenkov said.

"Thank you ma'am! I will take care of them, I swear it!" Martha said as she rushed out of the room with her new books. Alenkov smiled at such a girl who takes delight in such simple things. Closing the curtain, she decided that it was time for bed since sleep seems to be the best medicine for her at this moment.

ELSEWHERE

Hilary and Ichigo had just spent the past few hours or so having sex in Ichigo's quarters. The curtain that separates them from the outside of their room allowed them to have their privacy. It was also not as close to the quarters of others, which, to them, was a good thing. This allows them a bit more private time together. This leads to hours of fun for both of them. Also on the ground were some of the last of Ichigo's condoms.

But at the moment both of them were lying naked in Ichigo's makeshift bed of bedrolls and blankets. Hilary was laying just to the right of Ichigo with nothing but a thick blanket separating them from the outside. The chill of the air helps in setting the mood. But as time wore on the couple laid there on the mats with Ichigo stroking Hilary's naked stomach with his hand.

"I am worried Hilary," Ichigo said as he raised himself up to look down on the woman below him.

"How so," Hilary asked sleepily.

"What if the governments are not able to find a way down here? I mean, why didn't they have a backup plan in the first place, in case something like this happens?" he asked.

"They are just cheap assholes, Even Dr. Alenkov said so herself when she was denied the funds for further submersible equipment," Hilary replied.

"Wait, she was denied a request for more equipment?" Ichigo asked, looking bewildered.

Hilary sighed from below him, "Dr. Alenkov requested to have an additional ship be given to us to allow supplies to keep coming, in case something happens to the Ocean Odyssey, but she was denied because it would cost millions to build such a ship. One submersible alone is nearly a billion dollars to make. Even with all the governments combined, the U.N. is not going to spend that amount of money to get us another submersible." Hilary said to him.

"When did this happen?" Ichigo asked looking at her with disbelief.

"About three years ago. I had been with the project for about five before you came, remember?" Hilary said to him.

"I wish they had made a backup ship so that we wouldn't be in this mess," Ichigo said as he laid his head beside hers. His stroking stopped as he placed his hand on her stomach and gently pulled her towards him with her back facing his front. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close to him. Her body warmth adding to his as the room started to drop in temperature once again due to their inactivity. The cold icy temperatures of the ocean outside of the ship penetrated the interior which makes keeping warm almost impossible. But simple things like sex and the surrounding rock and coral temporarily insulates the interior of the ship. Warming the air to be a bit more comfortable even if it is only temporary.

Hilary turned around so she could face Ichigo. Her face held a mischievous smirk, "You think after the billions invested into this project, that they would spend the money on another submarine to give us needed supplies? Those bastards don't even care about anything, but the money they make off this 325 million year old piece of shit."

Catching on, Ichigo grabbed Hilary's sides and flipped her onto her back once more, so he was on top.

"And what are you were going to do about it, hmm Dr. Ballard? Last I recall you knew nothing about politics and warfare, you study fish remember?" Ichigo joked, his voice low and rough.

Hilary grabbed his face and placed her forehead to his, "Ok if you say it that way, how about we forget our worries for now and let me I lecture you on how dolphins fuck," she said and pulled him in for a kiss and another round of sex.

DREAM SEQUENCE

 _Martha once again found herself in the room with the same aquarium and fish swimming inside. She walked around the room, exploring the artifacts on the desk and on the wall. She found the same photograph sitting down on the desk, but she could not make out the face. It was blurry, as if the ship does not want her to find it. The same bathroom and empty cage was still there along with the well-kept bed and luxury couches. Even the glass case with the alien vessels were still there. The message was still scrolling on the alien computer screen before her. Leaning in, Martha read the message that was played there clear as day._

 _ **'When East fought West during a time of war, when three kings rose from depression's ashes; one from the East, one from the North and one from the South, the North declared that he is God, the East declared that he is Emperor, and the South declared that he is King. The North killed the first race, the East killed the oyster, and the South killed democracy, on the sixth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the fourth cycle, the West rose from the sea to fight the three kings. The West fought the East and the West became victorious. Where am I?',**_ _Martha was frustrated with the entire sequence, her mind was tired and sore. The dreams had become far more intense since she woke up and started communing with the ship. The migraine that was forming was intense. She rubbed her temples, trying to sooth the ache behind her eyes._

 _She needed a break._

 _Turning around, she walked towards the door to the room. It was large with a big circle on it just like the front entrance. When she approached it opened into a small hallway which ended at another door not five feet from where she was standing. Curious, she walked towards that door and it opened to reveal an empty closet of some sort with controls. Looking at the controls, Martha realized that it was an elevator. Pushing a random button, she jumped when she felt the elevator drop down from where she was standing. Looking in amazement, she allowed it to take her down a level. When the door in front of her opened, she was amazed at the shades around her. The lights from the roof and the amount of technology._

 _The very center of the room has what appears to be a blurred diagram of a ship._ **A hologram?** _Martha thought as she walked around. The room was expansive, with only the center holding the hologram. Blue lights_ _were_ _going around it, as if telling you what each part was. The lettering was hard to see, since the lighting was a bit bright. Strangely, though, Martha found the image in front of her to be part of the truly expansive part of the ship._

 _Walking around the hologram, she saw the many controls of the ship. She even spotted some stations around them, where holographic displays were shown. Fascinated, she approached one and saw that it had strange readouts._

 _ **The scientists would be jealous when I tells them this!**_ _She thought as she walked around the first controls._

 _She climbed up a platform just to the back of the ship, where she could see from another angle. Two more of the computers that she had seen in the room could be shown. Just as she had gotten to the top of the platform, the image in front of her suddenly changed. Instead of an image of the ship, the lights changed to that of a galaxy. Startled, she nearly fell over at the sudden change. What shocked her even more was the random dots that littered the galaxy._

" _Whoa!" she said out loud._

 _When she walked down the short stairs the image of the galaxy reverted back to that of the ship. Martha suspected it might be some sort of navigation device. Martha continued to look around the room, curiosity getting to her. She explored the rest of the rooms next to the door that lead to the elevator. The first leads to a laboratory of sorts, and the second to a communications room. Then the image changes to that of another room, this one full of strange objects on the table. Martha reached down and picked one up. It quickly expanded to reveal a weapon._

 _Surprised, she nearly dropped the gun from her hand, but instead held it tighter for fear of setting it off. The hum of something filled her ears as she walked further towards the back of the room. It was here that she finally saw a large circular object in the very center. It was glowing a bluish white, but the hum was not as loud as she thought it would be. In fact the volume didn't change at all which was strange._

 _When Martha returned to the main room, she was immediately drawn to the hallway that leads to the front of the ship. She knew that this was the front, because she remembers going down this hallway before when she first got here. Walking towards the front, she made her way towards the very door she was at. When she reached the door, she was surprised that there was another door right next to it. There, she found herself staring at that door. The door itself was high tech just like the others, but nothing like this. Martha placed her hand on the door and surprisingly enough it opened._

 _Her eyes widened at the room beyond it._

 _It was the bridge! The whole time the bridge of the ship was right next to the front door!_

" _Holy shit!" Martha said to herself as she walked into it._

 _The room was brightly lit with holographic panels everywhere. There was a shadow in the pilots seat working away at the controls. She was curious as to what this person was doing._ **Was he the pilot** _ **?**_ _" she thought._

 _Martha approached from behind, careful not to disturb him or her. As she did the, chair changed and slowly turned around. The figure in the chair made her eyes widen in shock..._

 _END DREAM SEQUENCE_

Gasping for air, Martha shot up from her sleeping mattress, her hand going to her heart as sweat covered her face. She was shivering from the cold as mist came out of her breath in ragged gasps. The freezing cold of the ship was starting to eat away at the crew, Martha especially. Even at the low temperatures and not enough body fat to regulate body heat they were either going to die by starving or dehydration, or freezing to death.

Time was running out!

The image in the cockpit was something that shocked her to the core. In the pilot's seat of the ship was not a shadow...it was herself.

She saw herself in the pilot's seat looking confident and proud. She remembered that much from the dream. She quickly reached for her laptop and tablet and booted up photoshop. She began to draw with earnest, trying to get the images translated onto the screen. After having run out of paper and pencil days ago, she relied on her computer now to do the work. The good thing about generators was that it provided enough power to power everything.

But they were also dangerously low on gas.

Soon, they would be out of power and without it, their chances of help would be nothing. Martha placed the last of her batteries into her flashlight. The blue glow lit up the crevice that she calls a home as she quickly cleaned up the drawing.

The image took about four hours to complete. The hard work and detail that went into the drawing was enough to scare anyone out there. She made sure she used every ounce of memory she could scrounge from her brain to get this to work.

She stared at the bridge and found it to be fascinating. Now she was more determined the ever to solve this riddle. She leaned back on her fold-out chair and stared at the screen for a good minute or so before sending them both to Dr. Alenkov and Dr. Zenger. Then, shutting down the computer and closing the screen, she leaned back on her chair. The images were still fresh in her mind of her walk around the bridge to the discovery of the room with the holographic projector. But none of the images helps with solving the riddle.

"None of this makes sense!" she growled in frustration.

Getting up from the chair Martha got dressed and headed down towards the mess hall, hoping to clear her head. Wrapping her parka around her, she started her trek down the ladder. When she gotten to the lower levels, she began to make her way across the mess hall towards the main entrance. She didn't care if anyone watched her but Martha wanted to see for herself. Reaching the area the held the main door to the ship she saw for herself the familiar circular door that leads to the abyss beyond. Reaching out she touched the frigid metal of the main door. She knew that if the door were to open, they would all be crushed by the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Slowly, she walked away from the main door to look towards the wall of coral and rock that was just on the side of the door. Martha placed her hand on the rock; the alien device flashed once before disappearing.

"I wish, I wish I knew your name," she said softly.

Martha leaned her head into the coral outcrop. The memories of her time in the Element Zero Core started to filter into her thoughts. The fear she felt as well as the things she wished she could forget. It was traumatic to say the least, as she felt along the wall where a door should be. It was not there and only the rock remained. What she could gather was that the deep sea corals of the past has made their home here millions of years ago just like with the rest of the ship. She remembered reading the history of the ship and how they had to drain the water from its interior. Or, at least, that is what they want everyone to believe. Pulling her hand away, Martha started down the long hallway once again, towards the mess hall. Hoping she could get a distraction from the dreams and the memories of her death.

When she reached the mess hall, she finally decided to take a really good look at it for what it really was. She spotted the food distribution area now empty with dirty dishes and empty packets everywhere. The garbage bags had run out and the area was smelling worse for wear. Not one scrap of food remained. The area for toilets were off to the side and they smelled worse than any sewer that Martha had to fix. Her nose protested to the stench, and it was enough to get anyone to puke. The stains on the wall tell the story of the many who actually did puke.

But the mess hall was not without its joys, one of them being that it is a gathering place for people to come together to share stories and songs. Martha walked around the now-crowded room to hear the very loud voice of Major Lawoski as he was reading a book of some sort. The people gathered around like children hearing the tales by the campfire. The large L.E.D. light was the only thing illuminating the room so it was an obvious choice.

"...And so my grandpa came and shot up a whole bunch of Germans out in the streets of Paris, and then he turned to see some kid, a girl about her mid teens, was left on the ground brutally raped. Her clothes were bloody and torn, leaving her half-naked. They had raped her because her brother was a soldier for the German Army and he lay off to the side, badly wounded. He was trying to protect her. So he rushed in to offer aid..." Martha walked past him having lost interest in the story that he was telling.

She used the restroom before climbing the ladder that would lead up to her room. Her mind was filled with all sorts of questions. There, she saw the single lamp that she had procured from the storage with its single light on. The batteries were still going strong but the illumination was only just so. Lifting up her left arm, she let the alien device illuminate the room. The single etching on the side where her computer and drawing books were kept was left undisturbed. Her sleeping bag and chair were as they should be.

Martha sat down on the chair and tried to ponder. What was she missing? She looked down at the alien device on her arm. It glowed a bright orange as Martha sat down to look at the books on her desk. They were the books that she had borrowed from Dr. Alenkov. She looked down at the titles that she had borrowed from the Russian woman. Hoping they would provide some distraction for her.

WAR THROUGHOUT THE AGES

WORLD WAR I

WORLD WAR II

D-DAY THE DAY THE WORLD STOOD STILL

The books themselves were all about war and history and for Martha it was something. Dr. Alenkov sure liked historical wars as she reached out to retrieve one of the books to read. It was the book about World War II. In a sense, it reminded her of her late grandfather and opened the book up to read. The introduction was interesting to her as she moved from the chair to the sleeping bag leaning back against the wall and letting the alien device light her pages.

She needed the distraction badly.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

 _The building of the new submersibles was taking far too long!_

Those were the thoughts of Philip Morgan, a man who was determined to help the people down in the Challenger Deep. He followed the submersible schematics all the way down to what materials he would need to protect his pilots from the pressures of the Challenger Deep. He and his team have been building the new submersibles for the past few weeks as backups in case something like what happened to the _Odyssey_ came about.

Only, they didn't get to make them, due to funds being cut by the governments.

Now, with the theft of the _Odyssey_ and the hostage situation, the people who depend on the monthly supply run need those subs immediately. They are starving, and by now have run out of food and water. They are slowly dying and they need help now. Philip was determined to help them, funds or no funds.

Thankfully, the United Science Foundation and several other organizations procured the funds to help out the crew, providing materials and manpower needed to build the emergency submersibles and get the supplies ready for their trip down into the abyss. The first two submersibles were ready to be deployed onto a backup ship that was retrofitted for this sort of emergency here in Auckland. Philip was racing against the clock for he didn't know what was going on, as the governments were not getting any news feeds from the ship itself. This was due to the lack of power on the ship. The only thing they got was letters and brief phone calls from people down there. Nothing concrete and from the _Odyssey,_ the hostage situation is just about to get worse with the massing fleets of several countries out for blood.

He wiped his sweaty brow, his dark skin and Maori tattoos were prevalent in the evening light. He was just adjusting the last of the ballasts for the submarine that would act as a cargo vessel. His workstation was filled with parts needed to do the last of the installments, when…

 **BOOM!**

"Shit! What the fuck was that?" Philip shouted from his work station. The ground shook from where he was standing causing many things to fall over. Grabbing the side, he rushed outside where one of his assistants was there.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"We don't know, but it was coming from over there!" someone shouted.

Philip rushed towards the area the smoke was rising from. Fire was seen coming from that area and crew members were quick to dispatch fire extinguishers.

"Damn it!" someone shouted. Philip rushed over to where a tall Caucasian man stood. He had soot on his face and light brown hair that was slightly long and tied in a pony tail. He was cursing and swearing along with another man beside him. Both seemed to be angry at something.

"What happened?" Philip asked.

"One of the generators blew," said the man as he helped another man who was injured towards an area where someone with medical experience was helping them.

"Fuck!" Philip cursed as he put his hands on his head, "Where is Wakeo?" he asked.

"Over here!" a voice shouted from the far side.

Walking across the garage, he managed to find the other man in question. He was a Maori man in his late thirties with the Maori tattoos of his tribe across his right arm. But where he was looking at had Philip more pissed off then ever.

On the right where they kept the generators and supplies someone blew a hole directly through the warehouse and destroyed the generators that were going to the Challenger Deep. Generators that can save lives. Even all the supplies that they were bringing with them, water, food, and fuel were gone. Cursing, Philip threw the nearest thing into the wall and shouted a number of curses in both English and Maori. The other man, Wakeo, turned to him in concern.

"You think someone purposely did this?" he asked.

Philip didn't need to answer that one. For he already knew the answer.

AUCKLAND GOVERNMENT BUILDING

"That explosion was seen for miles! The supplies down there were supposed to help the people down in the Marianas Trench! How could your security let this happen!?" practically roared the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and he was not happy.

When he saw the explosion from his home, he immediately called for Philip Morgan who is the person responsible for the rescue effort. When he had gotten the report on what had happened his heart went out to the victims of the Challenger Deep. He immediately got dressed and headed towards his office, calling in all members of his staff, including those from the science departments. New Zealand was supposed to be a launching point for the rescue effort since they had the facilities to help. Now with this new incident things are going to be a lot more complicated.

"What do we have?" he asked as he sat down.

"Prime Minister, as you are probably aware, there was an explosion at the warehouse facility near Neilson St. From our reports from the police, residents could see it for miles. It was not a small explosion, either: several other warehouses in the facility were also hit. So police suspect that this is not your normal street gang out for a good time," said one of his security advisers.

"So you suspect terrorists?" he said.

"According to Interpol, sir, they are currently looking for an Alexandria Wilcox. She escaped from the United States just shortly after the incident of the Challenger Deep, where an explosion on the vessel caused the deaths of several people." the same adviser said.

"You think she might be behind this?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Possibly, since my American Contacts informed me that she gave out some last minute orders before leaving. This is probably one of them," the adviser said.

The Prime Minister pinched the bridge of his nose, "How many people were killed in the warehouses?" he asked.

"Thankfully none, but there are over a dozen people injured, mostly with minor burns. They were going to shut down for the night when it happened," the adviser replied.

"Anyone else or anywhere else affected?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Thankfully no, the vessel that was being retrofitted to house the submersibles is thankfully safe. Extra security by our military personnel has thankfully prevented any attacks. But I told my men to beef up security after what has happened and lock down the docks just in case." replied the Naval adviser.

The Prime Minister looked at his chief of staff, "I want security checked at every warehouse facility in the country that is being used for emergency response to the Challenger Deep. And I want all vessels to be checked for anymore explosives. I also want security increased at every airport, and docking facility here to ensure that these bastards don't get out. I also want security footage if there is any to be procured. I want these bastards found now! No one comes to _my_ country and cause such terrorism. Is that understood?" he said and his chief of security nodded before pulling out his cell phone, and started to make calls while walking out of the room.

The Prime Minister then turned towards the other advisers, "Dr. Bethune, I assume that you are also taking extra precautions in security at your facility?" he asked the Head of Science and Technology.

Bethune sighed as she rubbed her temples, "We are doing everything we can to secure our research, sir. We already had a break-in but thankfully it was in the wrong side of the building. The research into alien tech is not much, but we do have some breakthroughs that we need to research on. The only thing, though, is that we never relayed it to the press. We figured that we keep it to ourselves, just in case."

"Well you will not have much of a choice much longer, for I will be calling for a press conference this morning. I want everyone on board for this: we need to get the word out. The citizens of New Zealand will not stand to let someone destroy our chance of helping the victims trapped on that vessel. We will help them and we will not let this happen again," he said to her.

"Understood," Bethune said as she leaned back on the couch.

"Is there anything else, gentlemen?" the Prime Minister said.

"Nothing, sir," the Naval adviser said.

"Good, you are dismissed," he said and the advisers all stood up to leave. The Prime Minister put his head in his hands and sighed. This has been one nightmare after another, and with this new development, things are only going to get worse. Reaching for his phone, he pushed a button and the placed it on speaker.

" _Yes, sir,"_ said a male voice on the other side.

"Mark, call a press conference, this is going to be a media nightmare," he said.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Enrique was worried. They could hear the ships in the distance and the shouts that occurred from the various _Odyssey_ crew members. He was concerned for their safety as they dragged the scientists around, ordering them to maintain the subs. What they were diving for, he had no idea, because they are thousands of miles away from the Challenger Deep, but his concerns grew more, when he heard men come onboard. He looked out through the tiny window and watched as they walked past. His concern heightened when they were escorting a man in richly tailored clothes.

 _Could he be the man in charge?_ Enrique thought. That would explain why they are still alive. If that is the case, then this man is holding them hostage in order to sell them off to the highest bidder. Or he is going to withhold what they knew for himself and probably run one of the biggest drug rings in the world. A deep-sea drug ring would be very bad. Or they want them for their research into the alien vessel and alien tech. That would also be bad. Enrique didn't know but he knew that they must head towards port pretty soon or they would run out of fuel. The distance from the Marianas to the Philippines is vast. Plus with dodging that storm a few weeks ago, they must have used their fuel significantly. Unless they have refueled without him knowing, they need to seek port.

The window outside was far too small, and the room that he and the other submarine drivers as well as the engineering crew were being held, was bare. There was nothing here, not even a bed, so they had to sleep leaning on each other. The only thing they had was a very small vent, too small for them to fit through, and a small window to the outside. The window was sealed, so they couldn't escape that way either. Their meals only brought to them when the guards remember, leaving them half-starved. But as far as Enrique could tell, something big was coming and what it was, they had to be ready for.

ON THE OCEAN ODYSSEY DECK

Tun-Yao head of the _Ocean Odyssey_ raid was watching his boss cross the boarding ramp from his own ship with his escort of armed guards. Tun-Yao stood at attention along with his top lieutenants. He was rigid and nervous, because the man before him would decide if he should get a cut of the massive payout this ship will bring. Surrounded by armed guards, the European man who hired Tun-Yao and his men, began to inspect the ship from top to bottom and even forced a few crew members out for inspection. Then he looked at all the submersibles and equipment. All the while, Tun-Yao waited patiently with his men. The European man's own men remained on deck armed with heavy artillery. The inspection itself took about three hours, but when it was done, he returned with a smile on his face.

" _My buyers will be pleased,"_ he said in Cantonese.

" _How much will we be paid?"_ Tun-Yao asked, eager to know the amount of money they would be getting for all the trouble they had gotten into getting the ship. He and his men are tired and eager for their share in the cut.

" _You will be paid for securing this ship and her resources. If my buyers are further satisfied you will be paid higher."_ The man replied. Looking at Tun-Yao straight in the eye, never breaking eye-contact.

" _This ship is being followed by Americans, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino forces. How can your buyers be assured that we will not all be killed for stealing United Nations Property?"_ Tun-Yao asked, looking nervously over the horizon, where he saw the ships approaching.

" _Do not worry,"_ The European Man said to him, _"As long as you don't kill any hostages you will be fine."_ With that, he called his guards and began to walk towards the plank that separates their ships. How the two ships managed to stay within distance of each other without breaking sync was due to the fine piloting of her crews. When the man left, the only sound for a moment was a huge sigh from Tun-Yao. The pirate would soon be rid of this ship and he would be well-paid. All this alien tech was giving him the creeps. Some of the devices on the ship has his mind going crazy at what they could do. There was one device he saw, that looked suspiciously like some sort of gun, but he was not so sure. That, along with the U.N. forces behind them, was making him desperate.

Tun-Yao stared at the ship as it turned away from them. It began to head towards the main island in the Philippines. From there, he knew that it would disappear, never to be seen again. Making his way towards the bridge, he looked at the note pasted to the map of the Pacific Ocean. It was a message from the European man. It was written, of course, in Cantonese, and Tun-Yao immediately knew where he is to go next.

" _How far is it to Basco from Luzon?"_ he asked his navigator.

" _Four hundred forty kilometers sir!"_ The Navigator replied.

" _Alright, set course for Basco. We can refuel there and then set a course directly towards Vietnam. Our buyer will meet us in Mui Da Nang here,"_ he pointed out the coordinates and set the course. It would take some time but they need to shake off the U.N. forces first.

" _Aye, Aye, sir!"_ the navigator said as he started to plot the course towards the Basco islands in the Northern Philippines. Tun-Yao was surprised at how fast this vessel could travel in such a short time. Most vessels were slower and noisier but this one… it was state of the art. If it wasn't for the alien tech and the creepy vibes he had been getting from this ship, he would not have minded in keeping it. However, due to the sense of being watched, he would rather get rid of it than keep it. He and his men are superstitious and would rather keep alive than see this vessel again. It was one quick job and if it pays out he would be the richest pirate in the world.

He could only hope he can get rid of his pursuers though.

CHALLENGER DEEP

Martha, Hilary, Ichigo and the rest of their group sat at the one table closest to the exit. Even with all the familiarity of the crew, Martha's demophobia still causes problems. At the moment, they were singing some songs on the makeshift stage to pass the time. Ichigo, though his voice was not the greatest, could at least carry a tune without totally butchering it. He was singing a Japanese song from back in his home town. He had with him a makeshift drum out of a garbage can and some tins.

David had his guitar with him while Jessica decided to be background vocals. It turns out that Lucas, with his big burly hands, is actually good at piano. They made up the make-shift band to try and keep morale up. So far, it is not working, for the audience barely paid them any attention. Those that did either clapped half-heartedly or shouted at them to shut up. Either way, the mood in the mess hall was a quiet one.

When the songs ended the group returned to the table Ichigo was the first to fall into his chair. "That was fun," he said.

"Says you, you all sounded like bloody banshees!" said Major Reynolds, who sat across from them. He was leaning back against the wall with his feet up upon the table. His now tired-looking face and gray hair didn't help in matters to his age. The man was near his seventies, but he could shoot as well as anyone on the ship. He, along with Major Lawoski, are in charge of security, so when he had to endure listening to Ichigo's singing and then earlier someone else with worst vocals he has had enough.

"Now why would you say that Major I thought you liked my singing?" Ichigo teased him.

"Says you, you shrieking whale you and Pai over there can't sing worth of shit, so why don't you bugger off and leave my poor ears be!" he said laughing.

"Alright since you complained then why don't you pick the vocals this time?" said Jessica, pointing a challenging finger at him. The others laughed at the major who raised an eyebrow before pointing at Martha.

"Make the lass sing. Pretty much everyone else in this hell hole sang but her. So why not?" the Major replied.

Martha's head shot up in fear, "You have got to be kidding me!" she said to him.

"Why not lass everyone else has," Major Reynolds said.

"You didn't sing either so why don't you sing?" Martha shot back at him.

"Now who would watch the door and you bloody fools if I did that?" he said smirking. Martha glared at him her eyes blazing in anger, "I can not and will not sing!" she said.

"Why not?" asked Jessica.

"I just can't sing," Martha replied not wanting to be the center of attention but they have her cornered. She felt trapped as they sat around her. Ichigo put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Hey Marty look at it this way I can't sing either but it is worth a try," Ichigo said.

"Yeah Martha. Besides, there are so many ocean songs that I can deal with, and frankly, I can't stand his singing either," Hilary said to her while pointing to another member of the audience. Martha winced when she looked at the African man standing just off to the side with a voice as course as glass. Wincing, she turned to them with annoyance on her face.

"I don't know many songs that people like," Martha replied reluctantly.

"So you are going to sing then?" asked Jessica.

"You are not giving me much choice, anyways, it's like you are forcing me to sing," Martha protested.

"You need to lighten up more Marty, you had been so focused on trying to solve that riddle that you forgot what it means to have fun," Hilary said with a smile.

Martha winced. Hilary was right; she had been too focused on working to really see what was going on around her. But every time she tried to think about it, the memories of those monsters keep coming back. The memories would often drown her in fear and leave her sweating.

"Hey, Earth to Marty, are you alright?" asked Ichigo, who noticed the panicked look on her face. Martha immediately took a few deep breaths to calm her down trying to keep the voices and the screams from getting to her. This caused the table to shake and her body to glow slightly.

"Come off it lads the poor girl has been through a traumatic experience. Besides, you're crowding her, which probably triggered a memory," Major Reynolds said.

Looking apologetic, they immediately backed away from her. Martha struggled to breathe, allowing herself to calm down, the alien device glowed briefly, allowing it to comfort her in a sense. She looked down at it as it flashed at her, as if it has a mind of its own. Rubbing her left hand with her right, she shook for a bit trying to calm down. When she did, the table stopped shaking and the glowing stopped.

"Why don't you try to sing, lass? It would help with keeping the memories down. I should know, been through a few of them myself," Major Reynolds said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I agree with Major Reynolds. Martha, why don't you try to sing something you heard, and even if you don't remember all the lyrics, try to sing it as best you could," Lucas said.

Martha looked at all the faces staring at her and finally gave in, "Fine," she said getting up.

Walking towards the stage she walked up the steps of the raised platform. The others in the room stopped to look at her. Many of her started booing already, sensing some bad singing to take place. She then looked at them nervously while some shouted for her to get off the stage. Martha looked towards the others of the makeshift band as they assembled once again to play for the group.

"Get off the stage!" someone shouted.

"We don't want anymore torture, so call it quits already!" another shouted.

"Shut the fuck up!" shouted Hilary from where she was sitting. Jessica also added her own voice. But it was when both Major Reynolds and the newly arrived Major Lawoski called out for them to quiet down, that the room fell silent.

"Um David can you play a D cord with notes Em then C, D, and Em again...I think that is how you say it." Martha said

"I think I get what you are trying to say." David said getting the meaning. He then strummed a few cords for Martha to listen but she shook her head.

"Try a bit lower you put an E sharp in there, get rid of the sharp, I said an Em note with a D chord," Martha replied. He started tuning his guitar to the right chords while Martha repeated a different set of notes to Lucas and then a beat to Ichigo. When they started to play the sound immediately sounded differently to what she wanted.

"Ok Lucas, since you are on piano, why don't you start first with the notes I told you," Martha said to him and Lucas started to play but Martha shook her head, "You need to go an octave higher, like maybe an A, since that is such an old school piano," she said to him. Lucas started to play and the sound that came from the piano sounded a little more to what she was going for.

"If you are going to sing then sing already!" one person sounded from behind. He was a burly man one of the engineers on the ship. Martha glared at him but he only glared back. Taking a deep breath she nodded to them to start playing.

"I heard this one on YouTube once so I hope I get it right," Martha said.

"Kill our fucken ears already!" the same man shouted.

"Alright David, you start first with the first chords then Lucas will come in on the second chord. Then, when I hit the chorus, I want you to do the background Jessie," Martha said. When she demonstrated the song to Jessica she nodded understanding where she needed to come in.

"Sing already!" shouted the man.

"Frank, if you don't shut the fuck up right now, I will boot your ass out, understood!" Major Reynolds yelled at him. The big man known as Frank quickly shut up while the group got into position. They did a practice session first to make sure they got the song right before they started to play. Martha started to listen to the first few chords, allowing herself to get into the song before opening her mouth to sing.

The sound that came out was something that surprised Martha, for when she warmed up her voice it came out true and on tune. Her eyes widened at the sound that came from her mouth. After years of throat damage from yelling at her work place, laryngitis and strep, her vocals sang as if there was nothing wrong with it. Taking a deep breath, she began her song with a bit more courage.

" _Hope can drown, lost in thunderous sound,"_

By now the booing that started when she came onto the stage ended and people looked up at her.

" _And fear can claim, what little faith remains"_ Now everyone in the hall had their attention to the makeshift stage.

" _But I carry strength from souls now gone, they won't let me give in,_

 _I will never surrender, We'll free the Earth and Sky,"_ Martha put her hand on her heart.

" _Crush my heart into embers, but I will reeeiiiggggniiitttteee laaahhhhaaaaaiiiii lllllaaaahhhhaaaaahhhhaaaaiiii...I will reignite"_

At this Martha asked David, Ichigo and Lucas to play a little faster.

" _Death will take...those who fight alone,"_ at this Jessica decided to join in.

" _But united we can break...a fate once set in stone,"_

This time her voice became stronger as she continued the song gaining more confidence as people started to come in.

" _Just hold the line until the end, 'Cause we will give them hell..._

 _I will never surrender! We'll free the earth and sky, crush my heart into embers, and I will rreeeiiigggnnniiittteee!_

 _Laaaahhhhaaaahhhhhaaaahhhhaaaaaiiiii lllllaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaaaahhaaaaahhhaaai I WILL REIGNITE!, Laaaahhhhaaaahhhhhaaaahhhhaaaaaiiiii lllllaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaaaahhaaaaahhhaaai I WILL REIGNITE!"_ when she finished David and Lucas gave one last cord to let the song go back to its solemn note.

When they were done the applause was deafening. Martha had never felt anything like this since she was a kid. This was the first time her voice ran true without cracking or going out on her. She felt a sense of accomplishment as people smiled for the first time in weeks. Then, as if by magic others started adding their songs into it as well filling the room with music and laughter something that has been missing from the ship in a while.

It was something that Alenkov missed the most about this ship. She was just walking towards her office when she heard Martha sing. Stopping to see what the noise was, she leaned against the wall as she heard the young woman's voice. When she was done and the roaring applause began, she saw the young woman become red in the face from the embarrassment. Feeling as if it was her time to leave the Director walked out of the mess hall into the hallways beyond, disappearing into the dark tunnels. The sounds of music quickly returned to the ship as people began to sing even if a bunch of them was out of tune.

SOMETIME LATER

Martha returned to her station, feeling a bit more upbeat than normal, and not just her... the others in the ship too had felt it. That episode in the mess hall had given them a new sense of purpose in their work. They poured over journals and sketches, trying to figure out the answer to Martha's dream. The riddle that she had written with such clarity had shown that the ship indeed has tried to communicate with them. By doing so within dreams, it was stated by scientists such as Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson, that the ship uses subliminal signals to tell the user what it wants.

But the human mind just can't comprehend such riddles!

Martha grew frustrated as she looked at the images again and again. Pouring over internet texts and asking various people questions. Taking up time in the communications room as well as consulting Aaron. But in the end no one could figure it out. Feeling frustrated, she decided to head over to the mess hall for something to do other than grow even more frustrated.

When she got there the noise in the mess hall was the usual banter between coworkers. The shifts had just changed and so the evening shift was starting to take over the day shift. Martha was sure that it was evening, but she could not tell with the eternal darkness of the abyss.

She sat down and pulled out her backpack, which housed her sketchbooks and her reading materials. She decided to bring Dr. Alenkov's books with her for some light reading. It was a moment for her to relax and so, opening the book titled D-DAY THE DAY THE WORLD ENDS, and began to read where she left off. However, she was interrupted by noise coming from the other side of the room.

"Aw, come on Reynolds, you told this story millions of times already!" Major Lawoski shouted as he was going over security detail.

"Ah you are just in a shit Lawoski because everyone wants to hear my old granddad's story!" shouted the familiar voice of Major Reynolds. Martha looked up from where she was reading to see the two security officers argue halfheartedly at each other. Major Lawoski was just tired from the bags under his eyes while his partner Major Reynolds was just getting started with the day.

"But I love this story! And I love telling it to every one of you Chaps every chance I get!" Major Reynolds said to Lawoski.

"Really who the fuck wants to hear a story about some war that happened years ago! I mean that is like my grandparents days," replied Major Lawoski.

"Your grandparents were probably not involved in the war. Mine _were_ seven generations of soldiers for her majesty's army, so don't you tell me about not wanting to hear some useless stories," Major Reynolds replied back.

"So why tell it again?" asked Major Lawoski.

"Because it keeps me from going insane in this shit hole, so I am going to tell it whether you like it or not. If you don't like it, get the fuck out of here and go to bed, and if you are staying, shut the fuck up and listen!" Major Reynolds shouted to him. The air was so thick that people started to get delusional. Martha, who was listening from her table looked up at the arguing men. Her interest peaked when she heard the conversation and so, when the argument was decided, Major Lawoski marched out of the mess hall towards his sleeping area. Martha watched him go before turning towards Major Reynolds and his story telling.

"...and so my grandpa was on one of the loading boats for Operation Overlord crossing the channel towards Normandy..." he began to speak.

As he was speaking his words started to become blurred as Martha started to slump in her chair. Her eyes began to droop as she sank lower to the table. Her body felt relaxed and tired at the same time.

"Hey Mart are you ok?" asked Hilary as she noticed that Martha had this far away look and was rubbing her head.

"Yeah, just remembering my grandfather's stories that's all," Martha said.

"Really about what?" Hilary asked as she sat down next to Martha.

"You know, about the second world war, you know, with Hitler and stuff. Dr. Alenkov loaned me some of her books and when Major Reynolds there started to tell his stories, they sort of hit," Martha said.

"Really? I didn't know you were into history and stuff?" asked Hilary as she sat down.

"Me and my dad are history buffs, but I thought my grandfather's stories were really fun. He wasn't a front-line soldier, but a mechanic, and boy, did he have stories to tell." Martha replied as she smiled at the memory. She looked down at her book, seeing the picture of Hitler at a dais. And the old concentration camps for the Jewish People.

"You know that the Jews were before the Christians and the Muslims right?" said Hilary.

"Yeah, I know they were the first…..." Martha's eyes suddenly went wide when a thought came to her memories.

"Marty what is it?" asked Hilary.

Martha started to hyperventilate as the revelation suddenly hit her. Her mind suddenly started seeing flashbacks of the dream in her mind. The message that was burned into her brain. Turning on the alien device by thinking it on, she added more light to the room. She then reached for a book that she was currently reading. Opening the book once more, she began to skim through the pages. Then, placing the book down, she reached for the second book in her bag - WORLD WAR II - and looked as if someone had slapped her face.

"Martha? Marty, hello, Earth to Martha?" Hilary said as she looked at the woman beside her. Her hands were shaking as she stared at the photographs of boats coming out of the ocean. Men with guns in their hands, rushing onto shore and tanks coming off of the boats.

"I have it," she whispered.

"THIS IS POINTLESS!" Someone shouted from across the room.

Martha quickly turned her head towards the one shouting, silencing even Major Reynolds who was telling another story. But her mind didn't hear the man as it was focused on something else; somewhere else.

' _ **When East fought West during a time of war,**_

 _East fought West? East fought West in a time of War. The only wars I could think of are religious wars, like when the Christians fought the Muslims. The Christians came from Western Europe...no that can't be right,_ Martha thought. _Christianity came from the Middle East, which is to the south. No that can't be right!_

She looked down at the book in her hands; the pages were worn from age, but the pictures were still crisp and clean like it was freshly taken. The images of Europe during the second World War. It also showed images of America during the time of the Great Depression. It was on the third paragraph of the second chapter, where it talks about the great depression in the 1930's. The aftermath of the Stock Market crash of 1929 and the great drought of the American Midwest. Photos showed the many farmers and other people lined up at the banks, hoping to get some form of assurance that their money is safe. In Europe, it was when Hitler and Mussolini rose to power.

"Martha what are you reading?" Hilary asked as she sat down across from the Hawaiian girl.

"I am reading about the Great Depression of the 1930's and about Europe during the same time period. You know, during World War Two. I think the riddle might be talking about that time period." Martha replied sounding hopeful.

"Come on Martha the riddle could be talking about any war out there. Dr. Alenkov even said so! What makes you think that it was World War Two?" asked Hilary.

"Call it a hunch or a vision but I think this is the war we need to focus on," Martha replied her eyes shown with hope.

"Martha, you're scaring me," Hilary said feeling afraid as Martha looked at her dead on. Her dark eyes blazed red for a second, frightening Hilary.

"Am I? What if I told you that I think I figured out this riddle. And the password that will solve all of our problems," Martha replied with much enthusiasm.

Hilary looked up at the other woman in front of her. Her sunken eyes and dark circles and tired features reflected hours of work as well as a lack of sleep. Hilary wanted to run but Martha locked eyes with her forcing her to sit. She was worried for her friend as she poured over that riddle for hours. Who keeps waking up in the middle of the night shaking because the dreams haunt her.

And it frightened her.

"What do you mean?" Hilary asked her voice was shaking with disbelief.

"It means we can get out of here! We can go home, I just have to make sure of something but I am positive that I finally have the answer!" With that, Martha shot out of her chair and left Hilary behind.

"Martha wait!" Hilary said getting up and rushing after her friend.

Martha rushed towards the center of the room, where the others were ignoring Major Reynolds. Their interest peaked when Martha came to the center of the room. Her mind was focused as she looked around for space. Then, sensing something, she slowly closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift back towards her dream.

"Martha! Martha!" Hilary's voice played in her head, but Martha was paying no attention to it.

Her mind was elsewhere. The images fading towards nothing as she let her mind drift naturally and allow distraction to drift. The image around her changed to that of the same room as in her dreams. The large room with the holographic image of the ship and the people walking around.

 _DREAM SEQUENCE_

 _Martha saw herself once again, facing the room with the large holographic image of the ship. The strange writing that was there, along with the images of parts of the ship that were highlighted. She could make out the blurs of the crew members as they walked past her. The sounds of their voices filled her ears, nearly overwhelming her. The world began to spin as she pictured the entire room, from the long hallways to the three doors behind her._

 _Then she turned her head to look at all three doors. The first one on the left, she remembers that it leads to some sort of laboratory, while the one on the right leads towards a room filled with all sorts of devices. Martha figures they might be guns of some sort, since they look a lot like guns. Then the image changed to that of the one in the middle along a narrow hallway. This one led to a room with a single table in the middle. There, the same blur was on the wall as the main room. Martha let her mind drift to that image of the large room with the holograms. Slowly, she walked towards the much larger wording on the wall._

 _The blurred image was in front of her as if the ship didn't want her to see its name. But as she came closer, the riddle once again played in her mind, like a mysterious voice playing in her brain. Its words haunting her and whispering to her._

 _ **When East fought West during a time of war, when three kings rose from depression's ashes;**_

" _Do you mean World War 2?" Martha asked the void._

 _There was only silence. Instead the images changed to that of sounds being played. Gunfire from a distance and people screaming. Then as if magic a voice was heard one she had heard before, but could not make out._

"Martha!" _the voice of Hilary could be heard in a distance._

 _Martha looked around for the source._

" _Hilary?" Martha replied looked around._

" _MARTHA!" she shouted._

 _END DREAM SEQUENCE_

Martha suddenly found herself being shaken by a worried Hilary staring down at her.

"What happened?" Martha asked,

"You fainted that's what happened!" she asked clearly worried her voice was shaking with fear.

"Really?" Martha replied her mind still in a fog.

A sharp slap to the face made the woman come completely to her senses she looked to see the eyes of Hilary on the verge of tears.

"Don't you dare do that to me again you hear me you stupid bitch!" Hilary said her voice choked.

"Now what is this all about. I was having a grand old time when you ladies interrupted me with your fainting spell," said Major Reynolds who came up to them worry on his face. He handed Hilary a small plastic cup of water for Martha. One of the few rations they had left.

"Ask her," Hilary said pointing to Martha. All eyes turned to Martha as she slowly was helped up by David. The other young man had just gotten off shift when he heard the commotion. Guiding Martha to her chair he let her sit down for a bit.

"Now Mart why did you suddenly go into the middle of the room and scare the living crap out of all of us?" asked. Major Reynolds.

Martha's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement "I found it the answer to the riddle, I found it!"

"Really?" Hilary said in disbelief! She was surprised by Martha's sudden outburst her eyes widened at the sight of hope. "How?" she asked.

"Hold on a sec, Lucas! can you pass that sketch there?" Mart called out to Lucas, who was sitting just opposite the table Martha was sitting at.

Lucas went over to the table she was talking about and grabbed the sketchbook on the table. Then he walked over to Martha and handed the sketchbook over to her. She flipped the pages, till she got to a sketch showing a blurred out picture of a wall. It was one of her earlier dreams, when she was walking towards a wall but could not make out the words. Martha reached over to her bag on the table. Others, who heard the conversation, started muttering to themselves as they heard Martha's declaration. They gathered around the table just as the young lady started looking for her pencils in her bag. When she pulled out a pencil she immediately began to rub the side into the drawing.

"What are you doing?" asked Major Reynolds.

"Give me a sec," Martha replied.

She could barely make it out, but she was certain that it was the answer. With the improvements to the sketch, the image became more clear. Her mind began to clear as the image took shape. Though the words were still blurred Martha has her answer.

"You solved the riddle Lass?" Major Reynolds said as Hilary filled him in on what Martha told her.

"Yes, I think the riddle is talking about World War Two," Martha said.

"Are you sure?" asked David.

"Yes, it is starting to make sense. The dreams, the riddle it is starting to make sense. When I was reading Dr. Alenkov's books I was also listening to Major Reynolds's stories about his grandfather. I think that is the clue. The final piece to solving this puzzle. It was the riddle that showed me the way. I was just too worried about surviving to get it!" Martha replied.

Major Reynolds turned to her, "So if you figured it out why don't you tell us the answer then?"

"I need to make sure first that it is the right answer before I try inputting it, but I am fully sure, I bet you that is the right answer," Martha replied, her voice so excited it went up a few octaves.

"You are fucken crazy you know that, just fucken crazy!" Lucas said to her. Martha only smiled as she turned towards them and bowed.

TBC

 **Please remember to leave a review and remember no FLAMES, BASHINGS OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE!**


	13. It's Name is Normandy

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: OH man I thank you all so much for your support of this story! It means so much to me as well as to my ever awesome beta reader who helped me a ton with my grammar problems thank you so much!**

 **Now as you all know that last chapter is a bit long and it took a bit lengthening the scenes to let you know that there is so much going on at the same time. I wanted to show different scenes at once to let you take in the scope of what our characters in the Challenger deep are going through. It also lets you know what the effects are to the people around them. So without further a do the scene you've all been waiting for in…..**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 12: Its Name is Normandy**

The air was dangerously thick and almost impossible to breathe when the darkness hit. Like a thunderclap, the generator finally gave out, causing the entire ship to go dark and the cold to start coming in waves. The heat generated by the generator made living here at the bottom of the ocean almost tolerable. But now that it finally died, the cold darkness of the abyss was finally starting to make its final move on the crew.

Dr. Alenkov was doing her paperwork in her office when the darkness finally hit. Her laptop instantly switched to battery mode, allowing her only three hours on full power before going dead… for good.

She reached under her desk to pull up an emergency flashlight that was reserved for such an occasion. Turning it on, she could see her breath, as her arctic parka was already on and wrapped around her. The coffee cup that would normally be full was now empty and had been for a long time. There was nothing in it that would warm her up. So, getting up, she went to check up on the crew of the ship to make sure that there was no chaos. It was something she was dreading for a while now: the mass panic and confusion of the crew.

What greeted her as she entered the hallways was the silence. There was no sound of panic and no outcry for blood or survival. She in fact found it very strange and very eerie as she moved throughout the ship. Then she could hear it...the sounds of talking, of people talking in excited tones as if something good is about to happen. Dr. Alenkov made her way towards the mess hall where a faint light was flickering. It nearly drowned out the sound of the surrounding ocean outside but Dr. Alenkov was curious to see where the sounds was coming from.

When she entered the mess hall she was shocked to see all the staff there chatting among themselves in excited mutterings. Her tall frame allowed her to see a bit over the sea of crowded people. The heat and the stench of many sweaty bodies made the air suffocating to Alenkov as she forced her way towards the center of the room. In the center of the mess hall was Martha along with Hilary, Lucas, David, Ichigo, Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds and several others pouring over drawings and charts of the alien vessel so far. Along with the charts on the table before them were the books she loaned Martha. It was Martha's alien device that was providing all the light.

"What is going on here?" asked Dr. Kimber as she ran up to Dr. Alenkov. Despite her injuries, Dr. Kimber was going to be fine.

"I don't know," replied Dr. Alenkov, curious to see for herself what was going on.

"What is going on here?" Dr. Alenkov asked, repeating Dr. Kimber's question as they both came close enough for the people in the center to hear her. All heads looked up from where they were talking, surprise on their faces.

"Reynolds has solved the dreams!" said someone from the crowd. The voices all carried a form of excitement as many cheers went up.

"Major Reynolds did what?" Dr. Alenkov asked her eyebrow raised up in confusion.

"Don't give her that horseshit I only helped, it was Martha who actually solved it," Major Reynolds shouted back.

"What did Martha solve?" Dr. Alenkov asked curiously.

"She solved the riddle in her dreams, she figured out how to activate the ship!" he said.

"She what?!" Alenkov called out in shock, her hands shaking as she tried to absorb all this. The amount of air going into her lungs was not enough and she started to feel lightheaded. Dr. Jenkins, who was one of the other scientists in the room, quickly rushed to Dr. Alenkov's side and quickly guided her to a chair.

"Here, Doctor, have a seat, you look ready to pass out any moment now," he said. Others quickly moved out of the way to allow her to sit. Feeling lightheaded and trying to process it all was a bit much for the Russian as she was placed on a decently-sized chair. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions as her brain was trying to process it all.

 _She solved it? She solved what everyone took nearly forty years to find?_

All that could come out of her mouth was a raspy "How?"

"I will let Martha herself explain it, Doc," Major Reynolds said to her.

The crowd parted to allow Martha to come closer to her. Her steps were erratic and she had to be helped by Hilary who held her up.

"What happened?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"Don't mind me I had an episode when I was figuring it out," Martha replied as she, too, sat down in a chair just across from the Russian woman. She took a deep breath and Alenkov saw how nervous she is.

"Martha, how did you solve the riddle?" she asked her accent was very prominent in her voice yet it was also very shaky when she said it.

Martha herself looked rather nervous when she said it but she began to explain, "It started with Major Reynolds's stories. He was telling stories about his grandfather in World War 2 and how they invaded Europe on D-Day," Martha said as she looked down at her feet.

"Go on," Dr. Alenkov said.

"Well when he was telling the story the dream came at me again, this time I was wide awake when it happened. It was as if the ship itself was telling me the hints and the clues." Martha replied

"Wait? The ship spoke to you?" she said.

"In a sense yes," Martha replied.

"Alright, say that the ship did speak to you, what else led you to believe that you know the answer?" Dr. Jenkins asked this time.

"Dr. Alenkov's books, the second part of the riddle named three kings. One in the North, One in the East, and One in the South. Now the first part of the riddle derives the event that took place, the war. So I had to start thinking out of the box for once and do something that no one else has thought of," Martha replied.

"Oh and what is that?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"I had to think about it in terms of events. You said so yourself Doctor that the riddle could mean any war in our history or the history of the ship." Martha said as she stood up on shaky feet and began to pace. People parted to allow her to speak.

"Alright Martha talk what do you mean events?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"Well when Major Reynolds here was telling his war stories that was when the visions started. It was like a trance that I felt when I was pulled to the middle of the room. The next thing I knew I was in the dream again. It was Hilary's voice that woke me up so when I as looking up at her that is when I knew I fell to the floor. From the floor that was when I started thinking in terms of events in human history and not in _alien_ history. I mean why would the ship tell us a riddle that would come in terms of aliens. We have not met any aliens in our history, or that which we don't know about. So I had to think in terms of human history." Martha said, her voice more excited and cheerful than those of the scientists on the vessel. Her excitement made her talk so fast that Dr. Alenkov had a hard time catching every single word and most of it sounded as if Martha had degraded to that of a child.

Martha then darted over to the nearby table. Dr. Alenkov followed her, her footsteps rapid to keep up with the younger woman. There, Dr. Alenkov could see a large piece of paper that laid on it, surrounded by her books. Martha's alien device glowed bright enough to allow her to see what was on it. From there the riddle was written out to its fullest, but each phrase was marked with notes and sketches and more notes. It literally was a mess to look at but on the notes each and every portion was analyzed and looked at. Some of the writings don't even match meaning that others had added their own opinions into the chart.

"Martha what is _this_?" Dr. Alenkov asked in confusion.

"It is the map of the riddle. A comparison of the lines in the riddle vs the events in human history that match the lines in the riddle," Martha said, nearly jumping up and down from her spot.

"What she means to say Director is that the riddle itself has many meanings but only one answer. If one were to look at the lines as events in human history or historical figures in human history you can see a pattern," said Dr. Jackson who was recently released from the medical ward.

"My specialty is Space Exploration, Military Science and Administration, not History, Doctor," Dr. Alenkov replied.

"I know, but you have an interest in history as I recall," Dr. Jackson replied looking at the director with a curious look.

"Yes, I do have an interest in history - mostly military history and the history of war," Dr. Alenkov replied.

"Well, then, why don't you listen to what the lady is trying to tell you before she reveals her answer," said Dr. Jackson as he sat down next to Dr. Alenkov with a look of delight on his face as well. He had already been here when Martha made her announcement that she had solved the riddle. Now he wanted to hear how she had gotten the answer.

"Alright Martha, you have my full attention, and this time go slowly please, for those of us whose first language isn't English," Dr. Alenkov said to Martha in a scolding fashion. This caused the young lady before her to smile sheepishly and rub the back of her head like a cartoon character.

"Sorry," was the reply.

"Now then, Martha, the riddle," Dr. Alenkov repeated herself.

Snapping out of it Martha leaped up, "Oh right! As I was saying, the riddle..." she said and when she pulled up the paper someone had the sense to bring a white erase board.

"Here, use this," said Ichigo as he and David sat down. The board had obviously come from the side of the mess hall for there was a schedule for food. Martha was handed the eraser and she immediately erased the board before writing the riddle in place of the food schedule.

"Ok, let me see if I can explain this clearly enough for you," Martha said before writing all her diagrams on the board.

"Alright here it is. The riddle was given after I came out of the E.Z.C. and confronted the ship in my dreams. It then showed images of what it probably looked like millions of years ago. So when I said that we don't know its name and there is no way we could figure it out without a clue it gave us the riddle. Now the riddle itself is insignificant unless you look at it from a view point in time," Martha said and drew a timeline on the bottom of the board.

By now everyone backed away from the area to give Martha some space as she drew the time frame.

"Ok, imagine this is the timeline in which the riddle takes place. The beginning talks about war or _a_ war. Now, anyone who is a history nut knows that there was a ton of wars back in the day. And any one of them could be the war that the riddle is talking about. But here is the catch," with that Martha began marking the lines along the timeline.

"This is a timeline of all the wars in human history. All of them speak of one or two kings wanting to duke it out over territory or religion. The riddle speaks of West vs East in the beginning. Now, any one of these wars," and with that Martha took her marker and circled each one along the timeline from the earliest to the latest. "...could mean West vs East with the most obvious one being the Crusades or the Boxer Wars," Martha said.

"Wait, wait 'Boxer Wars?" someone asked laughing.

"China vs Great Britain back in the 19th Century," replied Dr. Alenkov.

There was silence in the room and Martha puffed up her chest, trying to get brave enough to speak. Her hands were shaking when she continued on.

"Before I was rudely interrupted, the first part could have meant the Crusades or the Boxer Wars where West fights East, or as Dr. Alenkov said, Great Britain vs China. But here is the other clue: the second part of the line speaks of three kings rising from depression's ashes. Now here, here and here," Martha said as she marked the lines on the timeline, "are times when something happened that caused a depression such as a plague or fire, such as the fires of London or the destruction of Pompeii. It could also mean the destruction of the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya at the hands of the Spanish Conquistadors, but there is an inconsistency with that. And that the three civilizations were destroyed in different times. The Incas were first, then the Aztecs and then the Maya. All three were not at war at the same time. So that rules them out. The other war with three kings is the Battle of the Three Kings or the Battle of Alcácer Quibir In Morocco. Are you getting me so far?" Martha stopped and there were several hands that went up with questions.

"Where the fuck did you get that information from when communications was limited to emails and phone calls only?" asked one person.

Martha held up a book 'History of Warfare.' "Dr. Alenkov let me borrow some of her books," Martha replied.

The voice was instantly silent and that gave Martha the courage to go on.

"Alright, here is where this one was eliminated from the list," she said and pointed out the three names she wrote down. "Now these names I am not going to say because I can't pronounce then other then the King of Portugal. But both of these guys," she pointed to the two Arab names along the line, "are both vying for the throne in Morocco, but only one of them had an ally in Europe. But the third clue was in the same line about the three kings, One from the East, One from the North and One from the South. Now, the two kings here are both from Morocco, so they don't count as one of the kings mentioned from the riddle. So that eliminates them from the list," Martha said and erased their names off the board.

"Alright if they are not the three kings, what other wars involved three kings at the same time?" asked Dr. Zenger, who was sitting down next to Major Lawoski.

"I am getting there," Martha said.

"Now, the second war involving three kings was of course the War of the Kingdoms in the United Kingdom. But because of the second clue, we are going to eliminate that war," Martha said, crossing that out.

"When the second clue mentioned where the kings are located - one in the East, one in the North and one in the South - things get a bit complicated. You see all the wars that involve three kings are all either near each other or in the same area. Either through rebellion or conquest and not talking about events that happen at the same time." Martha said.

"So, what you are trying to say is that, with all the wars in history, none of them mentions kings in other kingdoms from three different regions fighting at the same time?" said a man who was sitting on the other side of the table from Dr. Alenkov.

"Exactly, none of them were from different regions. Maybe one of them or two of them were from a different region. But none of them were all three originated from a different part of the world. This leads us to the third clue which is the third part of that first line. **The North declared that he is God, the East declared that he is Emperor and the South declared that he is King.** Now, that raised some eyebrows for me because it could mean something further back or forward in history. Because many kings declared themselves gods such as the Pharaohs of Egypt or the Hawaiian Chiefs. But then again, it got me thinking that...what if the riddle was not talking about actual kings?" she said.

"What the fuck do you mean?" asked another scientist.

"Shut the fuck up and listen Wilson!" Major Reynolds scolded the man by the door. The man glared at the Major who returned it in kind. It was a staring contest till Wilson, a man in his mid thirties, backed down. Taking a deep breath, Martha explained.

"What I mean is that what if the riddle was not talking about royalty at all?" she said and then circled two wars closer to the end of the line.

"The World Wars?" asked a woman this time.

"Yep, the two world wars where many leaders vouched for leadership of the nations of the world, so to speak," Martha replied.

"OK, why the World Wars?" she asked curiously.

"Well, I had to read about it but the answer is simple: multiple leaders wanted to rule more than one nation in the world. But here is the catch: the First World War was mainly in Europe. However, it was this one that was the main culprit and the answer to the fourth clue," Martha said. She circled the words 'World War 2' on the time line.

"How do you know it was World War 2 that holds the answer?" asked Dr. Jenkins as she sat down next to Dr. Jackson.

"Because of the next line, ' _The North declared that he is God, The East declared that he is Emperor and the South declared that he is king_ '. And that was followed by the other line that followed which locked it in by, ' _The North killed the first race, The East killed the Oyster, and the South killed Democracy_ ," Martha replied.

"That still doesn't answer the question," Dr. Jenkins replied annoyed.

"Yes it does," said Dr. Jackson as he turned to his colleague, "The answer to the time period is there. Think about it: Who was the main culprits of World War 2?" he asked her.

"I only know Hitler," Dr. Jenkins replied.

"Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito," replied Major Reynolds as he stood up, "To answer the question of the riddle, only one who knows World War 2 can know of what the three did, which was answered in the line that was mentioned. Hitler killed the Jews otherwise known as the 'First Race,' since their religion predates the Christians and the Muslims in the Middle East. Fuck, it's as old as civilization itself. That was the first hint," he said.

"Hirohito bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii pissing off the Americans," said Ichigo from where he sat at Martha's table.

"And Mussolini killed the Italian Democracy, declaring himself dictator," said surprisingly Dr. Alenkov. Many heads turned to her as she stood up.

"Are you trying to say Martha is that the ship's name came from this time period in human history?" Dr. Alenkov said to the young lady at the dry erase board.

"Yes," Martha said hesitantly, "Yes, the ship's name is from World War 2 it named itself and it wanted us the speak its name to activate it."

"It can't activate itself?" asked Lucas. He leaned forward his hands in front of him and his chin resting on his fingers. It was a sign that he is interested but at the same time bored.

"No, it is probably another safety protocol programmed into it by whomever built the ship." Martha replied to him.

Lucas leaned back and indicated with his hand that she should continue. That earned him a slap on the shoulder from Jessica and Lucas turned to glare at her. Jessica glared back at him and Martha sighed at their antics before she continued.

"Now, the final part of the riddle was the most confusing, but the simplest clue of them all. ' **On the sixth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the fourth cycle the West rose from the sea to fight the three kings the West fought the East and became victorious.** ' That was confusing at first until you look at it in terms of time. Now, if you are thinking of time periods, then it makes sense," Martha said to her audience.

"The West? Who was the West? I mean we know that Hitler or Germany was the North, Hirohito or Japan was the East and Mussolini or Italy was the South who was the West? And why did it give that part of the riddle?" asked Wilson yet again.

Martha this time smiled mischievous as she looked at him, "Who was the one nation that was last to enter the war? Who was the one that turned the tide in favor of the Allied Nations in World War 2?"

"The United States, Franklin Roosevelt, that was the West," said Major Lawoski.

"Really?" asked someone else.

"Yeah, After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the U.S. entered the war. They were pissed that Japan dared to bomb their sea port in Hawaii. When that happened all hell broke loose," replied Major Lawoski.

"That doesn't answer the other part of the riddle," Wilson replied.

"Yes it does," said Major Reynolds standing up and walking towards the board.

"Think about it, mate, America is on a completely different continent to Europe and Asia. It is West of Europe, they and Great Britain are the only two nations in the Allied forces next to Canada and Mexico that are in the West." said Major Reynolds.

"What is with all the suspense, why not just tell us the fucken answer already!" shouted someone from the surrounding area, interrupting the entire conversation. That was followed by several immediate call backs from the crowd. Mostly within a tightly closed group. The rest wanted to know how Martha had gotten her answer. They had listened so far, but the small group began to mutter among themselves and that grew into a growing background noise.

"Who said that?" demanded Dr. Alenkov.

There was silence in the room when she stood up facing the crowd of muttering folks who were starting to grow impatient with the suspense and the dramatics. She eyed them all, demanding them and daring them to say anything. She was surprised that they didn't start eating each other or going crazy so far. But then again, things like this demanded hope. And hope was very fragile at this stage, so she hoped that she could help. But she didn't know how long it could last before it suddenly shatters.

"Anyone?" Dr. Alenkov demanded.

It was met with silence. Her glare was enough to keep everyone quiet so far, but how far before desperation really kicks in? So far, they had been lucky with being able to speak to family and friends. It was what tied them to the ground and helped keep hope alive. But for how long, she didn't know, and when the power went off for the final time, well... Things had been tense, to say the least. At least Martha's lecture was enough of a temporary distraction that it could help them. And if she truly did solve the riddle of her dreams and figured out how to activate the ship... then hope has rekindled for them all.

Turning back towards Martha, Dr. Alenkov nodded, allowing the woman to speak. Clearing her throat, Martha began to explain once again, this time with a smile.

"What was the one event that shaped the war to the Allies favor?" Martha asked. She held her hand up to the two majors and Dr. Alenkov, hoping everyone would see if anyone else has figured it out. There was silence, which gave Martha more time to get excited again. She rushed to the board and circled the lines once more, showing them the events as they unfolded. She then erased everything on the board and began to write out a calendar of sorts. The months and days of the year. Then she began to circle them.

"The sixth day of the sixth month of the fifth year of the fourth cycle. Now, mind you, it took some time to figure out what cycles meant, but then I realized that it meant decades. So, _which year?_ I had to think, and then it hit me: the year 1944 in the 20th century. The ship is probably thinking in terms of time. It is describing the time period in the riddle during the beginning with World War 2. That is the time frame with the three kings, meaning the three main powers during the war, Germany, Japan, and Italy. Now when it described the date which is here..." Martha was again interrupted, this time by Dr. Shenoy the medical officer.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Martha, but you said 1944. The riddle says fifth year, doesn't that mean 1945?" he asked.

"Not if you include the 0 in the decade. The riddle is including the zero in the decade, so if you include 1940, in the alien's terms would probably mean 1 where we just say 0. Their concept of time must be different than ours. The first year of the decade must mean 1 to them while we state it as 0. So if you think about it in alien terms the forth year in the decade would mean 5 in alien. So the fifth year would actually be the fourth in human terms." Martha replied.

"So, the part of the century that the ship would speak of the 1940's would be the fourth cycle, because it is not including the 0 years?" Dr. Shenoy said to her.

"Yes, it is not including the zero years, because it has no concept of zero. To it the zero years such as that of 1900 to 1910 would be considered as either 1 or 10 not 0." Martha replied.

The doctor leaned back satisfied with the answer.

"So what does June 6th of 1944 have in common with aliens?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"D-Day," Martha replied.

"Operation Overlord," said Major Reynolds standing up, "The day the Allies came upon the beach in Normandy, France, and freed the country from German occupation."

"So what does that have to do with the ship?" asked Wilson.

"It's the ship's name," Martha replied with a gleeful smile, her short pointy canines showing. To her shrunken face, it made her look scary to those watching her. As if she had gone mad.

"The ship's name?" asked Wilson.

"It's name, the ship's name is _Normandy._ It named itself _Normandy_! That is what it was trying to tell us! It was trying to tell us its name! It wants us to find the terminal that would activate it!" Martha said, bouncing up and down in childish excitement.

"But we don't have any terminals to type it into!" Dr. Jenkins said from his seat. The other folks muttered among themselves, knowing that the scientist was right. Mutterings came from the crowd that grew louder until one voice interrupted them all.

"Yes, we do," Dr. Kimber said, standing up from where she was sitting on the other side of the room. Her walking stick was evident in her hand along with Dr. Amari who helped her to stand.

"Where?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"Over near the shaft that leads down here. We found it years ago during a routine check on the generator. One of the boys went to see why one of the lines was not working and that is where we found it," Dr. Kimber said as she walked back towards her chair.

"Even if we found it we don't know how to turn it on so we can activate it?" Dr. Jenkins replied his irritation was known. Others began to mutter behind him as well agreeing with his statement.

" _We_ don't have it personally, but I know someone who does," Dr. Kimber said and pointed to Martha.

"Her! She is nothing more than a piss pot that got herself burned in the E.Z.C. where she had no business going into!" Dr. Jenkins said, outraged.

"You watch your _**fucking**_ mouth, Rupert, or so help me God almighty I will kick your ass from here to the Earth's core!" Dr. Kimber replied, also standing her ground, and the room began to erupt into a hell storm of noise until….

" _ **ENOUGH!**_ " The roar was enough to silence the room once more. Everyone turned to see Dr. Alenkov there, standing with anger clearly on her face. "Sit your asses down NOW!" She said. Everyone did as they were told, for no one wants to deal with Dr. Alenkov when she was angry. The military woman stood her ground when they all were seated down once more.

"Now then, before this ruckus had gotten started perhaps it is time for our young friend to do us all a favor and activate the ship?" Dr. Alenkov said to Dr. Kimber.

At this everyone voice their agreement.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

"There is nothing here," Martha said to Dr. Kimber.

"Yes, there is," Dr. Kimber replied, "years ago we found this computer terminal that we thought is nothing more than a piece of scrap. It would barely stay on, unlike the ones in the lab." Dr. Kimber then led them to a spot near the shaft that would take them to the Mess Hall and the labs. Martha saw nothing at first but rock and bits of ancient coral. There was some fragments of deep sea bones that some fish left behind, but other than that, nothing.

But upon closer inspection, she could make out a strange metal item buried in the rock. Coming closer still, she could barely make out the appearance of what appeared to be a frame of some sort. Then, when she was directly in front of the rock face, she could make out the shape of the computer terminal. The metal only outlined the frame of what would have been the screen, but it was dark and shattered. The rest of it looked as if age had succumbed to it.

"Once we tried to turn it on but it would flash and then flicker out," Dr. Kimber said.

The thick air and high humidity caused by all the bodies in the small alcove made it difficult to breathe. Martha felt her chest compress with the thickness of the air and the lack of filtration in the room. Dr. Kimber managed to squeeze her way in front to stare at the blank terminal before Martha.

"We had other people try to turn it on, but the power would fail. Perhaps you might be able to fix it." Dr. Kimber said to Martha.

Martha looked at the terminal in front of her. The screen was cracked and broken, and the rock around it looked as if it was growing around the screen. The metal that formed the frame looked to be corroded and rusted in many places.

"When I looked up the history of the expedition, it mentioned that there was water in the ship? Perhaps through leakage of some sort. The terminal might have gotten damaged from the sea water that came into the ship, just like the other terminals that littered the vessel. But because this one is so close to the entrance, it might have gotten damaged from the sheer volume of water that might have gotten in before the ship finally closed its doors?" Martha stated as a matter of fact.

"That could be a possibility, but why still have power in some of them? That part I never understood," Dr. Kimber said.

"Maybe there was residue power in the systems. I see it quite often when I fix laptops back in Kona. Sometimes, even with the battery and the power cord out, there is still power in the machine. You have to do a certain routine to drain the rest of it out before you can work on the device. Maybe that was what was happening to the computers here," Martha replied as she stared at the empty dark screen.

Then, as if on cue, the screen started to flicker for a bit, as if struggling to turn on, before it died once more. The faint light from her alien device helped to illuminate the rock and the computer. It repeated several times, each time getting longer, before going completely blank and staying that way. Martha stared down at her left hand where the device was currently glowing to provide light. As she looked at it, something seemed to click in her mind. Slowly, she reached out with her left hand, the alien device hovering over the dead terminal.

Taking a deep breath, Martha held up her hand and nothing happened. Disappointment seemed to flow into the crowded room. Martha looked down, discouraged as the terminal remained dead and quiet. She held it there, but nothing happened still and she started to get irritated.

"I think you need to touch it," said Lucas, breaking the awaited silence in the crowd. Others stared at him in the faint light of the alien device. Martha turned to him curiously and figured it was worth a shot.

Martha placed her hand on the terminal, and there was nothing. She even tried running her fingers over it and still there was nothing.

"Nothing's happening!" she called to Lucas.

"Maybe you need to direct your mind to the device. I think I recalled seeing it in a T.V. show, where the guy had to focus his mind on a task for the machine to do it. He even had to do it to start a space ship, which I thought was cool." Lucas replied.

"What T.V. show was that?" asked David, looking rather irritated.

"I think it was Stargate Atlantis," Lucas replied to David.

"Can we focus on the here and now please?! Not on some sort of televised debate," scolded Dr. Kimber.

"Maybe you need to tell the device to repair the computer?" said Ichigo.

Everyone turned to him in bewilderment. "What? I am only stating it since, after all, Martha's device seems to work when she thinks about something. It responds to her thoughts both unconsciously and consciously. So, perhaps if she were to concentrate on the repairs of the terminal, it might help us get out of here?" Ichigo responded.

"You are a fucken retard!" shouted Jessica.

"But it is worth a shot," said Dr. Alenkov as she stood beside Martha. Her presence alone quieted the crowd. She then put her hand on Martha's shoulder. She could feel her bony shoulder and it was currently shaking from fear. She knew that the woman was going through a panic attack with so many eyes look at her. She would feel the same if she were in Martha's shoes.

"It's alright Martha, just focus on the machine not, on the people," she whispered into Martha's ear.

Shakily, Martha put her hand on the machine, her mind going in many different directions. Her body was shaking in fear, but Dr. Alenkov's hand was still on her shoulder and it held firm, "Focus Martha, don't pay any attention to the people around you. Focus your mind on the terminal and only on the terminal," she stated.

Martha's eyes went to the terminal and willed her mind to focus, but instead it plunged them into darkness. Her device lost its light as it vanished from her hand. She slowly reached out to touch the broken keyboard once again. Or what she thought might be a keyboard, as it was nothing more then a flat surface, smooth to the touch. She then reached out with her other hand and felt along the surface. She tried with all her will to focus.

But all the focus started to leave her the minute her mind heard a sound. Songs from various music genres started to play and repeat certain aspects. The images in her mind started to appear as she willed herself to concentrate. But she could already feel her mind slipping as her foot began to tap on the ground and her finger beat on the keyboard. But the feeling of Dr. Alenkov's hand was enough to anchor her mind.

FOCUS! She willed herself to focus on repairing the computer.

Taking deep breaths, she started thinking about something that would help her mind focus. She started to think about home and her family, about how she ended up here, at the bottom of the ocean. She thought about how she died and how she was brought back to life again. She thought about Aaron and all the people she left behind, as well as all the people here on this station. All the lives that depend on her solving this riddle.

 _Please,_ she begged as tears started to form at the corners of her eyes, _please help us!_

The darkness was overwhelming, choking the life from her. The sounds of people breathing and crying filled her ears as the darkness began to overtake her. The cold of the ocean started to seep into her bones as well. The overwhelming feeling that came with suffocating and drowning. Her mind started to play tragic soundtracks from various movies. It was overwhelming. She could feel tears start to form in her eyes as she begged in her mind. Hundreds of sounds played all at once outside and inside her head. She nearly passed out from it.

It was then she heard beeping as her device came to life. It lit up, providing light in the room once more. Shocked, Martha stood still as the device started to move on its own. Then the sight and sound of something spraying onto the terminal nearly caused her to jump as a gray substance was sprayed onto the device. Her hand shook from where she stood as it suddenly started to repair itself. The rust disappeared and the cracks seemed to miraculously repair itself. She was shocked to see this.

It was just like what happened to her when she died. The device administered something into her as well, causing her body to heal. This time, it sprayed something onto the terminal, causing it to repair itself. It took nearly ten minutes before it was fully repaired. When it was done, there was silence.

A holographic image suddenly formed above her arm and data began to transfer into the terminal. The computer screen came to life as it was receiving the data. It lit the room in a brighter glow than the device. People moved away in shock as words scrolled across it at a faster rate than they could hope to read. A shocked Martha watched the device move on its own. It then showed an image of a human figure, which then split in two to show both male and female.

Dr. Alenkov and the others watched in fascination as the data was being transferred. It then flashed, sending a wave of light throughout the ship. This also counted for multiple images being shown at the same time across the screen. It showed the image of the ship and multiple dots in one area.

"What is it doing?" asked Dr. Jackson intrigued by what was going on.

"I think it is taking an account of all of us. As if it is doing a diagnostic of the ship," said Dr. Kimber curiously.

"Martha how are you doing?" Hilary asked. She was only met with silence.

"Martha?" Hilary asked again.

Martha began to glow bright blue as something was happening. Hilary watched Martha's fingers as they moved around the keyboard. The amount of data being transferred from her device to the screen was a lot, and she saw images of things here and there, as if the ship was communicating with Martha directly now.

"Martha? What is happening to her?" Hilary asked Dr. Kimber who was the expert on alien technology.

"I think it is transferring information from Martha's mind to its database. As if the alien device was taking a hold of her. The amount of data being transferred from her hand to the computer is incredible! I think it needed to see through someone else's eyes before it can make the connection that we are not a threat," replied Dr. Kimber.

"But why must it do this?" replied Dr. Jackson.

"I think it wants to communicate with us but in order to do that it needs to understand our biology, physiology, and psychology. I think the reason why so many people have gone mad here is because in order for it to communicate with us it needed to transfer some sort of data packet. I think the aliens who built it communicated telepathically, that is why the test subjects had the dreams. It was its way of communicating with us. But our minds are not built to understand what it was saying….unless you think differently like how Martha does." Dr. Kimber replied.

"ADHD," said Dr. Zenger from off to Dr. Kimber's right.

"Yes, I think that might be it. Martha's natural disability and artistic ability allowed her mind to process and understand the ship's message. I think this ship is still alive somehow, but it can't activate itself. It must have some sort of safety protocol when it crashed, like a power switch." Dr. Kimber said with some excitement. The discovery of the century was right here at her fingertips. What she viewed as junk years ago was now proving to be the most valuable asset of them all.

"Guys, I think it's over," said David from the left side of where Dr. Alenkov was standing.

Sure enough, Martha's glow began to subside. The alien device ceased to function on her hand as her concentration waned. With her eyes rolled back, Martha started to fall from where she stood. Major Lawoski caught her before she could hit the ground. Her breathing was ragged and her body was shaking and weak.

"What the fuck was that?" asked Major Lawoski.

"Dr. Amari, Dr. Shenoy!" said Dr. Alenkov.

The two doctors quickly rushed to Martha's side and began to do a check on her. They checked her pulse and her vitals to ensure that she would be fine. Confirming it, they both let Major Lawoski carry her to a spot where she could sit down. Feeling lightheaded, Martha began to slowly recover her strength from her ordeal.

"Martha? Martha can you hear me?" asked Dr. Kimber as she crouched down to Martha's level. Martha's breathing was still heavy, but it was not spastic as it was when she first fell.

"I can hear you Doctor," Martha replied between breaths.

"Martha, what happened?" Dr. Kimber asked.

"I don't know, all I know is that the system suddenly started attacking my brain. It was as if it wanted something from me while it was repairing itself. I could not move when it did this. I felt as if a thousand needles are going through my body," Martha replied.

"I think the computer wanted to know more about your biology. Since it seems aware that there are other creatures trapped on its vessel it wanted to know about our species. I think when it took you it activated your biotics. I saw it myself and so did the others. We even saw your device display images of our D.N.A. our biology, our physiology and more. I think it was studying us," Dr. Kimber said to Martha.

"Studying us? As if we are guinea pigs?" Martha asked.

"No, I think it wanted to learn more about us before it could acclimate its systems to human use," Dr. Kimber replied with curiosity.

Just as she finished saying this the computer came back to life it showed the words _**'ACCESS TO SYSTEMS REQUIRES PASSWORD, PASSWORD IS REQUIRED!'**_

Martha turned towards the others unsure of what to do.

"Go ahead you dumb ass type the password in already!" yelled Major Reynolds with impatience running through his voice and his mannerism. Martha glared at him before giving him the finger. She turned around and looked at the screen again. The words were ominous as they were her salvation. It was as if she was going to drink the holy grail in an old temple. Slowly but surely she walked towards the screen to see the message played out in full view in front of her.

 _ **'ACCESS TO SYSTEMS REQUIRES PASSWORD, PASSWORD IS REQUIRED!'**_

Martha reached out with her right hand and put her left arm in front of her. The alien device glowed back to life once again.

"Here goes," Martha said.

As she said this she typed the password with the keyboard that appeared on the alien device. Her fingers were shaking with nervousness and the sweat on her forehead was a sign of the silent prayer she sent to God.

N-O-R-M-A-N-D-Y

As soon as she hit 'ENTER' the screen went blank. The only thing that illuminated the screen was the small words _processing._

"Ok, now what?" asked David.

They waited for what seemed like forever. The silence was as thick as the air they were breathing. Martha's device had long since went dead also as if sensing it was no longer needed. The wait was a bit long.

AN HOUR LATER

"What the fuck is it doing?" asked Wilson.

"I don't know," replied Martha.

The screen remained black showing nothing but the small message in the very corner that said, _processing_. Everyone had grown board and wanted to leave but none did. It was as if their last ray of hope was in those small letters.

"Maybe it's frozen?" asked Dr. Jackson.

"No, I don't think so," said Dr. Alenkov as she came closer. Martha could hear her footsteps as she neared the barely illuminated screen. The words remained stationary but from the small amount of light Martha could see her face deep in thought.

"I think it is rebooting," Dr. Alenkov said.

"Rebooting?" asked Dr. Kimber and just as she said it the words on the screen changed.

PASSWORD ACCEPTED

The sound of something humming alerted the group as the room suddenly was shown in a blaze of bright light. Many screams of pain came around everyone as the lights had proven too intense for their eyes. The rocks suddenly disappeared, leaving the room filled with nothing but a vast space. Surprised and in pain, Martha walked backwards to escape the intense pain in her eyes and went to lean on what she assumed was a rock wall. But the wall that was originally there was gone and Martha fell on her backside.

Scrambling to her feet she and the others watched in amazement as the ship seemed to open up around them. The stone and coral that they grew accustomed to disappeared in the wave, leaving a fresh hard metal barely reflected off the yellow glow. More people seemed to be struggling with this new environment as they all seemed to stand on shaky feet.

Dr. Alenkov watched as the ship suddenly came to life around her as the sound of humming engines and energizing systems suddenly came online.

A wave of fresh air started flowing in through the vents above them. The temperature started to get warmer as if the ship was accommodating them. Many people were cheering and shouting in both surprise and joy and started taking in deep breaths. The shouting and the cheering was so loud that Dr. Alenkov went deaf by listening to it.

Martha was amazed by the terminal in front of her: it was the exact terminal from on her dreams! When her eyes finally adjusted to the intense light the holographic form of the ship came to life as it appeared before her. This shocked many other people as they slowly adjusted and upon recovering began to explore the ship. Martha, on shaky feet, walked towards the words NORMANDY on the side of a new door that appeared before her. The wall of rock and the small tunnel going up and down was gone. Instead, in front of her was the exact same door from her dreams. The one leading to the elevator.

"Holy shit!" said Major Lawoski as he looked around the room, his eyes roaming over the many terminals and seats on the far walls.

"Wow!" Martha said as she looked around. Her gaze could not help but look at the now wide space around the room. The lights were bright enough, but the room in front of them was spacious and clean. As if time had not touched it. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the sight of the space ship in its entirety.

"You did it!" someone shouted. Then, suddenly, Martha was being hugged from over a dozen different people, all of them smelling worse for wear. She struggled to get them off of her, but she was trapped in the growing mound of smelly bodies, all of them wanting to touch and thank the new hero. People were hugging and crying at the same time, thanking whatever deity they were worshiping for the return to their grace.

Martha had to get away from them as her demophobia took over. The overwhelming feeling of being trapped took over as she backed away till she was at the entrance to the elevator. Her breathing was raspy as her throat tightened from her fear. She began to hyperventilate and her head began to see stars. As she was walking backwards and away from the crowd she failed to hear the door behind her open.

She tripped over the now opened door and fell once again on to her backside. The doors then suddenly closed forcing people out. Shocked Martha looked at the now-closed door. Breathing a sigh of relief, she slowly stood up from where she fell over. Suddenly, she felt a jerk as if she had landed on something unstable. Then, as if by chance, she felt herself rising upwards. Shocked and a little shaken, Martha then felt the elevator stop after only a few seconds. The doors then suddenly opened with a gust of air and she found herself in a very familiar hallway. Getting up, she took a few tentative steps forward.

The same familiar door stood in front of her. The same circular holographic image just in front of it. Her breath was shaky to say the least as she looked around. The hallway, as usual, was empty, with only the very short walkway and the elevator behind her. Slowly, she walked towards the door. The circle was red instead of the green in her dreams. Martha looked at it curiously, then slowly reached out with her left hand. The alien device came to life. As it glowed, a few clicking sounds were made and the door opened with a small rush of air.

She was shocked to find her stuff on the floor next to the desk. Slowly, she reached out and picked up her sleeping bags and her things from the floor. Holding them in front of her, she looked around to see the transformed room around her.

The room was exactly like in her dream! The large queen-sized bed with the empty fish tank on the left. The ship models in the glass case and the empty cage off to the side. Her mind was in nostalgia as she wandered around the room. Lost in thought, she came across the couches and the table. She reached out and touched them softly. The feel of leather graced her hands as she went about the entire length. The helmet was still on the desk next to the bed. The silvery spherical shape decorated the table. It was like a hotel room with all the luxuries one could pay for.

"Holy Shit!" said a voice and Martha jumped in surprise. Hilary stood at the door, her eyes just as wide as Martha's as she took in the room. Her once-deep dark skin was shallow and pale, making her look like a zombie. And her body was thin, bony frame adding to the undead look.

"Um... hey Hilary," Martha said hesitantly.

Hilary walked about the room, her eyes taking in everything. She looked down to see the familiar terminal and the empty cage behind it. Looking up, she reached out to place her hand on the glass case where the many ships were.

Martha stood there, watching her as she looked around. Her mind was filled with white noise, her thoughts blank as she watched Hilary approach. When she came down the stairs that led to the main part of the room, she stopped in front of Martha.

"Holy fuck, Martha, this is just like your drawings!" she said as Martha nodded. Then Hilary gently pushed her to the side when she finally noticed the bed.

"You fucken lucky bitch, you got the good bed!" Hilary complained as she came in and leaped onto the bed.

The bed melded with her body as she relaxed in to it. Martha shook her head as she watched her friend roll around on the bed. Walking up the stairs again, she came in front of the desk behind the glass case. The two holographic terminals in front of her were alive and glowing. Right beside them was her laptop. The cord the led to the now dead power circuit running away from the terminal. She slowly pulled out the power cord from the extension. Holding it up, she saw a familiar-looking socket in the wall.

"What the fuck?" Martha said out loud. She turned on her laptop and after powering up, there was a warning sign to plug in her computer or risk shut down. She looked at the computer and saw the familiar empty battery icon flashing with a warning sign. Sighing, she took the risk and plugged in the computer. As if getting a sudden boost of energy the computer suddenly became brighter as a new feed of energy was rushing into it. The battery icon changed from a flashing battery to one with a lightning bolt inside meaning that it is charging.

Breathing a sigh of relief Martha turned to see Hilary rolling around like a little girl on the bed.

"I want this bed!" Hilary said, laughing as she gave sighs of content while she rolled around on the bed.

"I claimed this room first so scram, bitch!" Martha said laughing.

"Lucky shit," Hilary said as she leaped off of the bed.

"I was here first so I claimed it first so back off," Martha laughed at her.

"Man, you suck! I wish I had a room like yours!" said Hilary as she spread her arms out to encircle the room.

"I like it, It even has its own shower and toilet!" Martha teased.

"What?!" Hilary said and rushed past Martha to where a smaller door was behind the desk. Opening it up, she gasped at the sight of the bathroom in front of her. Turning she glared at Martha as she stormed right up to her. But from the quivering of her lip she could not hold it and started to fall into Martha laughing.

"You, you have to be the luckiest bitch there is!" she said between bouts of laughter.

"Why, because I have my own bathroom?" Martha said to her.

"Because you have the best room in the entire ship!" Hilary replied before grabbing Martha's hand.

"Hey, what….?" Martha protested as she felt herself being pulled towards the main door.

"Come on let's explore there is so much to see! Plus we could both use some time to explore," she said to Martha.

Smiling, Martha didn't hesitate to follow her out of the ship. She too was eager to see more of the ship.

 **TBC**

 **A/n: Now you've all been wondering where is the other part of the story. Well I decided that the rest of the this chapter should be in it's own little section. So I ended the chapter here and moved the rest of it to a separate chapter of its own. That way it doesn't take away the feeling of discovery when they activated the ship.**

 **Anyhow thank you all for getting this far and enjoying this story if you like it please leave a review and no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS OR FLAMES PLEASE thank you!**


	14. The Enhance Defense Intelligence

**DISCLAIMER; I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT I ONLY OWN MYSELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FANFIC.**

 **A/n: Ok so this part was originally part of Chapter 12, but I decided to put it in its own chapter. I was not totally satisfied with the whole ordeal of how they met E.D.I.. To me it felt too bland and the atmosphere didn't feel too much like they cared about getting off the sea floor. The ultimate goal was to get off the ocean floor and back up to the surface. But how they get there needed to be fixed. So when I put that last portion into its own separate chapter and as I reread it I was not satisfied with it at all! So I had to totally revamp how they met EDI and how people took to the newly discovered Normandy. And on the plus side this will be a two part chapter.**

 **But anyhow thank you all for reaching this far in the story and to my wonderful beta reader Schazmen Rassir you are the best! And don't forget to review please and remember no BASHINGS, FLAMES OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE thank you.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series part 1: Flight of The Normandy**

 **Chapter 13: E.D.I: The Enhanced Defense Intelligence**

Martha had never felt so alive in her life!

She and Hilary had explored every single part of her floor that could be explored. When they got back down to the main room of the ship, they continued their exploration. Both women went through every single area and, to their surprise, found some of the areas they used were not what the ship intended this whole time! One of these examples was the Mess Hall. The Mess Hall they used turned out to be, apparently, the main meeting room where people often socialize.

It was here that the girls had seen people explore the kitchen and the bathroom facilities. The bathrooms, by some miracle, had running water in them! So many people were relieved to be able to finally bathe and clean themselves up. Others just drank till they puked. From the now-clean faces, they could see that people were enjoying their moments.

The Medical bay was another area of great interest to the scientists. The two girls wandered into the room where Dr. Amari and Dr Shenoy could be seen looking around at all the advanced equipment and the beds, respectively. Martha was very interested in the table where delicate medical procedures would have taken place. Taking out her hand, she let the alien device activate. That alone allowed a small holographic screen to appear.

The scientists quickly gathered around as they saw the figure of a human being from the inside. Martha typed in her name and a full-bodied image of Martha could be seen. It quickly showed the injuries that were sustained in the E.Z.C. and her death. It then went on to show how the liquid in her device had brought her back from the dead.

" _A_ _lqarf Almuqadas_!" said Dr. Amari shocked to see something like this appearing.

"The liquid that brought you back is a sort of cellular jumpstarter!" Dr. Shenoy said to Martha.

"Amazing! It released nanites into your body while pumping that liquid at the same time! This...this revolutionizes medicine. And look here!" he said, pointing to a part of the body that Martha had not noticed. Her thyroid and her throat area were one of the many areas highlighted. It showed red areas and the words that came from it quickly translated to English.

"By Allah! It gave a full detailed analysis of your biological readings and health problems!" Dr. Amari said.

Martha was amazed by the amount of problems that her body sustained over the years. Things as simple as her throat to her ovaries has been highlighted. The system went into full detail of her biological analysis. Then Dr. Amari typed in himself. To his amazement, a new screen appeared and it showed every detail of his body, including his blood pressure levels and other things.

"May Allah have mercy on my soul!" he said in disbelief as he saw how something as simple as a broken bone was easily analyzed.

"The tech here is incredible!" said Martha.

Hilary, who was with her, smiled as she pulled on Martha's arm, "Well come on! We still have more of the ship to explore!" she said as she pulled the other girl out.

MEANWHILE

Dr. Amari was looking at the genetic structure of his own genetic code. It was right there in front of him. He then remembered the flash of light that the computer emitted when Martha activated the ship. It all made sense that the ship was trying to study them.

 _Martha was right,_ he thought as he looked at it.

"What are you thinking about my friend?" asked Dr. Shenoy as he walked up to Dr. Amari.

"I was thinking about the ship and how it took a reading into all our genetic material. Look: this is me," he said, showing the hologram of himself and the information that came with it, including the health problems that he had before such as digestive problems due to his poor upbringing. It even showed his ethnicity and genetic structure.

"Now this is you," he said as he put in Dr. Shenoy's name into the computer. A new holographic screen appeared and it showed Dr. Shenoy's body structure's internal and external features.

"Incredible!" he said looking at it. It even showed a 3D image of the planet earth and where the two originally came from. It even showed through the DNA structure what parts of the world those different genetics came from.

"Wow, that is amazing," Dr. Shenoy said as he was reading the parts about his lungs and the black deposits of tar from years of smoking. When he turned he noticed a third person's readouts are right next to his.

"Amari, is this Martha's?" Shenoy asked, looking at the chart of Martha's body structure.

"Yes, she pulled it up herself. But there are several things that stood out to me when I saw the amount of damage done to her. I think this needs some research into what the technology did to repair such irreversible tissue." Dr. Amari said to his companion.

"I agree, and from what I see here, something has changed in her DNA structure." he said, pointing to the diagram of Martha's DNA. Dr. Shenoy was impressed by the detail of the changes happening to her system. And how long it would take before the changes were complete.

"To the Gods above, we need to tell Dr. Alenkov of this!"

NORMANDY BRIDGE

Ichigo was impressed by the bridge, particularly it's size, and his attention was quickly brought to the details.. Where there was once nothing but coral and bedrock, now there was an open chamber with large holographic displays and tubes going in and out of the system. In the middle was the large holographic display of the ship, just like in Martha's drawings. But the thing that impressed him the most was the actual bridge itself, which was much smaller than what is now termed the Combat Center.

The bridge itself was small compared to the rest of the command center. In fact, it was at the very bow of the ship! The large windows that should have been closed to the ocean outside had been opened accidentally by David when they both entered the area. The dark abyss laid beyond the bridge, but the structure remained intact. More than that, the ship itself seemed to be emitting some light into the deep.

"Holy shit," David said as he looked at the seats beside the main one in the center. The two on the side showed a holographic image of planet Earth and the many smaller images of the distant satellites.

"What do you think David, navigation?" Ichigo suggested.

"Naw, I say communications," he said pointing to the many smaller items on screen, "See these? They are the many communication's satellites that are currently orbiting our planet. And this is the moon," he said pointing towards the distant moon.

"What's this?" asked a different voice and they turned to see Lucas looking at the main screen on the side.

"We don't know, from the looks of it, it could be some sort of interface," said Ichigo. He walked up to the flat platform and tried to get it work. So far nothing happened.

"Maybe there is a malfunction?" asked Lucas.

"Or maybe the system that activates it is not working yet. It could be activated when we turn the thing on," said David.

"That maybe true like some sort of diagnostic thing?" Ichicgo asked him.

"Yeah maybe it is, like Morgana? You know, from Halo?" replied Lucas. He was looking at if fondly. The others rolled their eyes at him.

"What do you know, it could be true," Lucas said from where he was to the left of the main seat. Ichigo could not agree more as he explored the systems required for the ship's navigation.

"First off its _Cortana_ not _Morgana_ idiot," said Ichigo shaking his head.

"Sorry," replied Lucas. 

"Hey, what's this?" asked David pointing to a diagram of the ship. The others looked at it and whistled.

"Damn those are some big guns!" Lucas said as he looked at the diagram. What used to be the storage area when they first boarded, turns out to be the main batteries for the ship's primary guns. The two huge cannons at the front end of the ship surprised them all. They looked like could blow up an entire city, maybe.

"Damn, I bet Major Lawoski would love to see this!" said Ichigo.

The others had to agree.

ENGINE ROOM

The Engineering deck was even more impressive than what Dr. Alenkov realized.

She was currently standing on a large platform overlooking the main engine. It was a large spherical object in front of her. And, according to her readings, was releasing minuscule amounts of both radiation and heat. But the other meter that she had was also a meter to measure traces of Element Zero. And so far, from what she had seen, this was the main source of Element Zero. The true face of the core itself.

The engine was currently offline, with cracks along many pipes leading away from the main reactor. But from what she had seen so far, the ship's main engine core was still intact.

 _So this is the source of the Eezo leak in the Pacific Ocean,_ Alenkov thought to herself as she looked at it in awe. The many circles around it were filled with a faint source of light. But so far, there was no activity. The dark areas that she saw were damages that were sustained over time. As if an explosion happened when it crashed into the ocean.

 _All this power and the ship still crashed... Why?_ She asked herself as she looked up at the core. The only thing that greeted her was the silence, but how the ship still continued to remain as it had, was a mystery to her. She could no longer see the many corpses of the dead that once littered the grounds of the E.Z.C. There was nothing. All that was there were the shiny walls of the main room and the several stations that littered the area.

"Doctor, we found the secondary source of power besides the core. It seems as if the ship is using another power source to power the life support functions of the ship," said Dr. Jackson.

"Thank you Dr. Jackson, what else can you tell me about the ship?" she asked.

"Well, we think that the reason why the main power source is offline is because of the damages done to the main core system. The reason why it was so hot in the first place was because the coolants were not functioning. You can see for yourself along the main coolant lines or what we assume is the coolant lines. Dr. Jeffers has found another source of fuel: this one is rather simple to replicate considering, from his analysis, it is made mostly with Helium." he said was they both walked away from the core.

"Helium?" Dr. Alenkov replied.

"Yes, and we can extract it from Saturn as the planet closest to us for the fuel source. Imagine two new sources of energy! The science is so far beyond it, it almost feels impossible!" Dr. Jackson said to her.

"Such things can be dangerous also Dr. Jackson, do be careful," she said to him.

"Don't worry I will, I am not so foolish," he said rubbing his leg.

As she laughed at his joke, one of the junior scientists quickly rushed up to Dr. Alenkov. He was holding his tablet for her to see. "Dr. Alenkov!" he called.

"Yes what is it?" she asked.

The man was clearly out of breath as he handed her the report that came from Dr. Shenoy. As she read, it her eyes grew wide and she quickly rushed out of the room. She hurried towards the elevator that would take her up a floor to the newly discovered Medical Bay. The tunnels they once used to move around the ship were nothing more than maintenance shafts. It was easily accessible for them. But when she discovered the convenience of the elevator, she was more than happy to use that instead.

As the doors opened, she quickly marched directly towards the medical bay. There, both Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy were looking over the floating holographic charts of their quarry.

"Tell me I am not imagining this!" said Dr. Alenkov, holding up the tablet. She stormed into the medical bay, surprising the two medical experts and several folks from the engineering department. Both men jumped in surprise at the Russian woman's sudden appearance. She was not amused when she came to them.

They both looked like boys who had just gotten caught stealing from a convenience store. Their eyes were wide and their skins were pale when they heard Dr. Alenkov enter the room in a frenzy.

"Dr. Alenkov, what a surprise!" they said to her.

"Doctors, what is this report I had just gotten about Martha? What is wrong with her?" she asked. Both doctors looked at each other before sighing.

"Dr. Alenkov we need to show you something," said Dr. Shenoy as she looked at the holographic chart. It showed Martha's features from when she was burned to when she was healed. It went into complete detail about the repairs done to her body and….

"Is that her genetic code?" Dr. Alenkov asked, pointing to a moving diagram of a DNA strand.

"Yes, it is," replied Dr. Amari, "We looked through her genetic factors and found that when the blue liquid that was injected into her, it... caused some significant changes to her genetic code. Look here," he pointed to a part of the strand that stood out.

"What is this?" Dr Alenkov asked curiously.

"It is her base genome, the part that tells the cells in her body what she looks like, how she acts, that sort of thing. It controls her appearance, and what she should look like. However, there was an alteration." With that, Dr. Shenoy changed the image to show three diagrams.

"What am I looking at?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"The top chart is Martha's original genetic code one that was taken when she first came onboard the vessel. It was standard procedure that we take blood and tissue samples beforehand." Dr. Shenoy replied, showing her the complete genetic makeup of Martha's original DNA.

"What is the second one?" Dr. Alenkov asked, pointing to the one that was full of holes.

"This is Martha's DNA after the E.Z.C. explosion. The radiation quickly broke down the chromosomes, leaving her with hardly anything to go by. And by normal scientific and medical standards, she should be dead," Dr. Shenoy replied.

Alenkov looked nervous at the third one and asked with a shaky voice, "And the third?"

"This was taken when she fully recovered in the medical bay. It seems that the blue liquid that was pumped into her by her device did something to her. It altered her genetic code somehow. Still, the changes are subtle and the transformation is gradual. She is still human, by all thoughts and standards, but her genetic code says otherwise." said Dr. Shenoy.

"How long until the transformation is complete?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"We don't know. Months, years, decades? The genetic structure of her base genome is missing. It has been replaced somehow by something different. The liquid that healed her contained nanites that repaired the damage to her body. But we believe that they were created for aliens not humans. But, somehow the alien genetic code had gotten mixed with Martha's DNA. The genetic factors inside are much different than-" before Dr. Shenoy finished, someone ran from the back of the room. He was panting and was happy at the same time.

"Dr. Alenkov! Dr. Alenkov!" he said.

The Russian woman, now annoyed at the second interruption of the day, turned towards this young man in front of her. She remembered him as the impatient man who interrupted Martha's lecture on the riddle not to long ago.

"Wilson, right?" she asked him her voice clearly showing her annoyance.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Dr. Alenkov, but Dr. Kimber wanted to see you inside the back room immediately!" he said. The three doctors wasted no time following the man into the back room. All three of them quickly rushed towards the back of the medical room where there was once a door that was sealed shut. The man quickly opened it to reveal Dr. Kimber and one other scientist studying what appeared to be very large boxes pinned to the wall. Each with dark grooves, though some were flashing with faint flickers of light.

"What is the meaning of this?" Dr. Alenkov asked as she rushed in.

"We don't know that is why we called you here Dr. Alenkov. I think we found something phenomenal!" Dr. Kimber said to her as she turned to face the Russian woman.

"What do you mean, phenomenal? What is it?" she asked, looking up and down from where she is standing. Her curiosity over took her as she looked around.

"We think, and this is my theory that this is the central computer. The system that controls the ship and the source of the dreams that the subjects were seeing," Dr. Kimber replied as she ran her scanner across a section of boxes.

"The central computer? Are you sure?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"Yes, I believe so! I mean, just by looking at it and by the sheer size of it, it must contain millions of years of data. Who knows what we can find on these data banks!" Dr. Kimber said to her. The amazement of this new discovery overshadowed Dr. Alenkov's concern for Martha as she came closer to the large boxes. Her hand ran along the boxes and feeling each groove. The sparsely-lit room filled her eyes as she looked around. There was a platform just to the back of the room that looked strangely like a bed of sorts. To her right, there was a console with several displays there, waiting. All of them were in an alien language to her, symbols dancing across the screen along with diagrams and graphs of some sort.

"The central computer contains the data of the ship as well as the means to which it operates. Perhaps it can tell us about how to repair the main drive." Dr. Alenkov said as she turned to Dr. Kimber.

"Repair the central drive?" asked Dr. Kimber.

"The main drive of the ship, the main engine is damaged. It is the source of the eezo leak. And from what we found just before I got here it received further damage from the explosion not too long ago," she said.

"Oh," Dr. Kimber replied as she looked at the control station. Dr. Alenkov watched as she came closer to the station itself. It was nothing more than a pedestal with several moving charts, each marked in alien writing. But the graphs were familiar enough for her to recognize as power readings going to and from this station. Then, just as quickly as it came, the language changed to Russian. She was surprised by the sudden change in language.

"I thought it was amazing too when I saw it," said Dr. Kimber from behind her.

Just as she said it the language on the chart quickly changed to English.

"What is this?" Dr. Alenkov said.

"I think – and this is a theory – that the ship recognizes what languages we speak. It then translates it to our base language, mine is English and yours is Russian." Dr. Kimber replied.

"Amazing!" Dr. Alenkov said.

When she looked at it she then saw something flashing red on the screen. It said _Enhanced Defense Intelligence system deactivated._ Dr. Alenkov looked at Dr. Kimber in curiosity, "Dr. Kimber, if I may, what is the Enhanced Defense Intelligence?" she asked the tech expert. Dr. Kimber quickly walked over to the monitor.

"I don't know, it has been reading that for some time now. I thought, by the way the words went, that it was some sort of defensive system meant to deter people from stealing the ship. But we don't know for certain what it does or how it works." Dr. Kimber replied.

"So this Defense system could be the ship's own defensive weaponry?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"We don't know, we don't know for certain if it's that or something else. All we know is that the ship's technology is even more advanced than we thought. Just like what Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy were just showing you with Martha's biological readings." Dr. Kimber said.

"You've heard that?" Dr. Alenkov said.

"No, I saw the charts earlier when Martha was in here with Hilary. It is true, then, that she is no longer human?" Dr. Kimber asked.

"We don't know for certain, Rebecca. All we do know is that she is changing. We need to do more research if we are going to find out more about what is going on with Martha," Dr. Alenkov replied.

Dr. Kimber looks skeptical, "Are you sure about that Doctor? I mean, Martha did so much for us. It is the least we can do to help if she is changing."

"We don't know what she is becoming. For all we know, this is only temporary, or it might be permanent. We need to know the truth before we go further. And even before that, we need to get out of here and back to the surface." Dr. Alenkov replied with a worried look on her face.

"Dr. Alenkov, with all due respect, we have been working hard at trying to figure out how to make this ship fly. Martha has already yielded this much. Any more can surely hurt not only her, but our chances of getting out of here," Dr. Kimber replied.

"I know, and that is why we are not risking her any more than we should have." Dr. Alenkov replied reluctantly.

"Elenna you are worried, we all are, and you are tired. We have been through enough and this ship has given us a second chance. Look, we've been down here for nearly two months. The _Ocean Odyssey_ has been taken from us, so we have no food. We now have water and power, which is awesome, but we still lack the means to get a hold of the surface. We need to find communications somehow and get a hold of our people up there," Dr. Amari said with a stern look on his face.

"We are working on it, Dr. Alenkov, as well as trying to figure this part out," Dr. Kimber replied.

Dr. Alenkov looked down at the tablet in her hand. Sighing, she looked at her reflection and saw the dark circles under her now sagging face.

"I am going to retire. If anything new turns up, let me know," she said before stepping out of the room. Dr. Kimber only gave her a salute as she walked away. She watched as Dr. Alenkov turned to look at the image of Martha once more before hanging her head down to depart.

"Is she going to be ok?" a voice asked behind Dr. Kimber.

She turned to see one of her assistants standing behind her. He had a worried look on his face as he watched Dr. Alenkov exit the room.

Sighing, Dr. Kimber replied: "Dr. Alenkov has a lot to take in with the crew. We are no longer dehydrated, but we are not in the clear yet. We still need food and we still need to get out of this shit hole. But for someone like the director being strong for everyone, it has to take a toll somehow." Dr. Kimber turned towards the room once again.

"We could use a break ourselves, Dr. Kimber. We've been at it for almost three hours." said her assistant.

"Maybe she should see Dr. Zenger," said another assistant.

"Dr. Zenger is busy as it is, we all are," said the first assistant.

"Alright everyone, I could use a rest, how about you all?" Dr. Kimber asked them. The group was more than happy to get out of the small but cramped room, Dr. Kimber included, as they walked out towards the main mess area.

MEANWHILE

"Holy shit!" Martha called out as the two girls looked over what was once a storage room. Instead of the stuff that used to be here, the so-called, 'Storage Room,' now housed two very large items being overlooked by a guard rail and a monitor.

"Those are some BIIIIIIG guns," replied Hilary as they looked at the two shapes.

"I have to agree," said a voice.

The two women turned around to see Major Lawoski standing behind them, along with Major Reynolds. Both men looked as if they were trying to keep the peace. And both of them looked haggard.

"If I had to take a guess, I would have to say that we just discovered the main battery," said Major Reynolds. He walked ahead of Martha and Hilary to look at the guns in curiosity, walking from one end to the other by climbing over the guard rail and inspecting them for himself.

"Bloody hell! This thing could do far more damage than a ballistic missile if fired," he said to Major Lawoski. Lawoski, now curious, walked over to the monitor and saw the readouts on the chart.

"Hey Reynolds, you should check this thing out!" he said to him. Reynolds walked over to the Major. Martha and Hilary both leaned over and saw the cannon on display. The image then shot up in a more holographic fashion, showing them the cannon and where it was located on the ship.

"Fuck me," said Major Lawoski.

"Jesus Christ!" Martha whispered as she looked over the newly translated readouts of the ship.

"What is it?" Hilary asked.

"This thing here, it's the ship's primary weapon. According to this it has enough firepower to wipe out Washington D.C. in a matter of minutes. That is a lot to take in. Also, there are smaller systems on this ship that are also used such as missiles, smaller lasers, even a computer firewall that is so sophisticated that our current computing system can't compare." Martha said.

"You can read all that?" asked Major Lawoski.

"Yeah, I watch enough sci-fi shows and played enough video games to know what this ship is capable of. According to this chart, this is called a Thanix Cannon and it is the ship's primary weapon." Martha replied with a smile on her face. Waving her hand, the image popped up in front of them just like in the medical room. The extended controls of the main cannon showed the ship's features, including other weapons and defensive systems.

"Holy shit! This isn't an exploration ship, it's a fucking _warship_!" Major Reynolds said out loud.

"Oh my God!" Hilary said as she looked at the readouts. They were incredible to begin with as they explored the weapons systems of the ship to such a higher degree.

"Oh man, ain't the boys back home going to piss their pants when they see what kind of firepower this baby can bring!" said Major Lawoski, his voice growing excited with the sound of his voice.

"Your boys? The Queen would be in an early grave if she saw this!" Major Reynolds replied back to him with excitement.

Martha watched the two soldiers exchange a friendly banter while looking at the readings on the ship, her mind in a whirl of possibilities that could happen while looking at the blueprints of the ship. The weapons systems on the Normandy are incredible, easily more advanced than any known modern technology. This ship's weapon's guidance systems are even more accurate than the United States' Anti Aircraft detection satellites.

She wanted to see more of the ship.

"Hey Hilary?" Martha said, turning around to face her friend.

"Yeah?" Hilary said, her eyes not leaving the monitors. Martha's curiosity was peaked by this expression on her friend's face.

"Are you ok?" she asked her.

That seemed to get the daze out of Hilary's eyes, "Yeah, Yeah I'm fine," she said her eyes returned to their usual brightness. Martha wasn't so sure as she looked at her friend in concern. Hilary however just waved her hand in dismissal before replying.

"I'll, I'll be fine Marty don't worry," though skeptical, Martha wasn't about to let something exciting pass up and figured exploring more of the ship would help.

"Come on lets get out of here and let the boys play with their toys," Martha said, gently taking Hilary's arm and leading her out. She had a gut feeling that something was going on with her friend and she was determined to help.

As they exited the room down the long hallway, Martha looked up at the many stand-up beds in the hallway.

"What do you think those are?" asked Hilary finally noticing them.

"I don't know, stasis pods perhaps?" Martha replied, walking closer to them. Several other people were looking at the beds out of curiosity, wondering what they were used for. Forgetting the feeling she had earlier, Hilary looked at the padded pods around them. Getting bored soon enough, she quickly grabbed Martha's hand and made her way down the long hallway.

"Who cares, maybe we can find out more when we go check out the other stuff, like Dr. Alenkov's office," Hilary said as she dragged Martha away.

LATER

"Whoa!" Martha said as she stared up at the large round object in front of her.

"Amazing isn't it?" Dr. Jackson asked as he walked up to them, his face full of awe as he stared up at the large device in front of him.

"Yeah, I mean, it's huge!" Hilary said, looking at it like a kid in a candy store. The large round object in front of them remained dormant and silent. The trio stared up at it until Martha looked down and noticed the cracks in the cables and on the walls.

"There's some structural damage here," she stated.

"Yeah, Dr. Alenkov noticed it as well and I explained to her that the ship must have sustained them when crashing into the ocean. At such speeds, such an impact would have completely destroyed one of our own ships. But for something as advanced as the Normandy, it is survivable and only some damage was done to her hull and interior. But from the looks of it, this is the source of the Eezo leak throughout the ocean," Dr. Jackson replied.

"Really? _This_ is the source of the leaking eezo?" Hilary asked.

"Yes, from our estimates, this thing here probably arrived millions of years ago in a battle of some sort. We saw structural damage all across the ship. But, then again, that could also be an illusion, just like what we had to deal with the past couple of months." Dr. Jackson said. 

Martha didn't listen to a word Dr. Jackson said to Hilary, as they were discussing things that went way past her head. Instead, she focused her sights on the large structure in front of her. It was amazing to see such an object as large as the Normandy's main engine right in front of her. At the moment, it was silent, not making a whisper.

But something inside Martha stirred and she could feel it pulsing through her veins. Slowly, she started to hyperventilate, as if something inside of her was telling her something.

"Martha? Are you alright?" Hilary asked.

As soon as the feeling came it passed, "Yeah, yeah I'm alright it is just...I don't know, it was as if I feel like I'm trapped somehow," Martha replied.

"Maybe you should get checked out by Dr. Amari or Dr. Shenoy?" Hilary said.

"No, no I'll be fine, I just, I just need to lay down for a bit," Martha said, feeling lightheaded.

"Why don't you take her back to her room, Hilary. I think the sight of the engine triggered a memory lapse. PTSD does that to people. Even if they can't picture it, the body reacts to certain things." Dr. Jackson suggested. Nodding her thanks, Hilary guided Martha back to her room.

Once there, the large doors opened once again to allow Martha and Hilary to enter the luxurious room before them. The empty fish tank glowed with a soft light while the ships hung in suspension in their glass case. The computer terminals were just as they were. When they entered Martha nearly collapsed as Hilary held her.

"Are you sure you'll be alright Marty?" asked Hilary.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, I just need to lay down for a bit," Martha said as she neared the bed. Hilary helped her into the bed before going over to the bathroom to get something for Martha. When she returned, she held one of the cups Martha washed to use for drinking.

"Here, drink this, you haven't had anything to drink yet and I bet you're probably dehydrated from all the walking," Hilary said as Martha reached up to take a cup. Taking a good sip, Martha then gulped it down greedily. When she was done, the lightheaded feeling started to go away.

"Thanks," she said.

"You've had a long day, along with the rest of us Marty. It is a lot to take in. Maybe you should turn in for the time being. After all, the work you did for us has finally paid off, so why not just lay in bed for a bit. It might help. Besides, Dr. Jackson and I need to talk about the implications of this new discovery and finding the source of the Element Zero leakage into the Pacific Ocean," Hilary said as she straightened herself again.

Martha watched her as she made her way towards the door. Before she even got up the stairs, she turned towards Martha once again. "Are you sure you will be alright here in this room, Martha?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, I'll call you when I need something," Martha said as a joke.

Hilary raised an eyebrow for the gesture, before finally smiling at her antics and departing. When the door shut, Martha stared up at the ceiling of her room. The window above her bed showed the blackness of the Abyss and the bioluminescence of the creatures outside. It was amazing to see so many things floating past and so many colors. She was surprised such a thing exists right above her head.

Then, something large floated past in the light, it's one single eye looking into the room where Martha was laying on her bed looking back at it. Then, just like that, it disappeared. A soft smile came to Martha's lips when she saw it. It brought a sense of wonder back into her imagination again. As her eyes began to close, she let that image fill her thoughts as it filled her dreams. Erasing the nightmares of the dreams past.

NORMANDY ENGINE ROOM

Dr. Jackson was in the men's room or what was dubbed the men's room by the pictograph on the door. The ship seemed to have adapted to human needs by creating bathrooms for both sexes to use. For the moment, he was looking at himself in the mirror. The haggard face that stared back at him was only a shade of the once hard, chiseled face of the South African. He was a white man born into poverty in Johannesburg. He knew what poverty was like and what starving was like. So, as he stared at himself in the mirror, the reflection of his former self emerged once again. The dark circles under his eyes a testament to the long nights spent awake guarding his home from intruders or worse wild animals. The other thing about his reflection was how it reminded him of a drug addiction, before he managed to get up and do something with his life. Studying alien tech was something of a dream for him. That much, he had noticed, when he looked at himself in the mirror. As he looked into the eyes of his own reflection, Dr. Jackson made a note of the changes the Normandy made to the people here alongside him.

The ship had brought out a lot of things in the people here. That much he could tell through trials and tribulations, and yet… Dr. Jackson thought to himself. It brought them together. It made them closer to each other than ever before. He saw that when Martha fought for him and Dr. Kimber to escape from those monsters. She gave up her life for them and that made him understand that humanity as a whole is not all that different. The ship's engines had taught him that as well.

He looked up after washing his face to stare at his reflection. The heavy bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and the once chiseled face now nothing more then a sack of skin. He lost so much weight from the long-term lack of proper supplies, that he looked positively malnourished.

 _Did the scientists back in the olden days look like this as well?_ he thought. _Foregoing food and water for the sake of discovery?_

Slowly, he pulled his pale face away from the mirror. The once tanned skin almost porcelain white. As he turned from the bathroom and out of the door, the memories of his hometown haunted him as he walked towards the main engine room.

When he entered the room, he saw several people working at their workstations. Their appearance was just as grim as his, but their spirits were just as bright with the new discovery. But the small chatter is what filled him with at least some sort of hope. Small as it could be.

"Dr. Jackson! Dr. Jackson!" a voice called and Dr. Jackson turned to see a man climbing the stairs that lead to the lower part of the engine room, just beneath the main fusion reactor. It was a large staircase that showed more of the piping and inner workings of the ship. It also led to one of the maintenance shafts that lead around the entire vessel.

"Yes," was the only word that came out of his mouth.

"Dr. Jackson, you need to read this," he said and handed Dr. Jackson one of the tablets they charged up. Taking the tablet, he saw the readouts of the ship. As he went over the report, him his eyes widened, "This can't be right, are you sure?" he asked the person in front of him.

"I'm positive, sir, there is no way around it, and if this keeps up we will be back to square one!" he said.

Dr. Jackson quickly rushed over to one of the computer consoles in the main engine room. When he turned it on, he saw for the first time the true cause of panic. Cursing, he got up to head towards Dr. Alenkov's office, but not before stopping at another terminal to message Dr. Kimber about what is going on.

MEANWHILE

A slight beeping noise, was heard just beside a large queen size bed. Slowly, dark blue eyes opened to the world around her. The sounds of the deep sea filled the windows outside the ship. Rolling over on the comfortable bed, Dr. Alenkov slowly rose from her slumber. The sleep felt good, but she nevertheless felt stiff and sore. The long hours spent running the ship and keeping everyone alive had been taking their toll.

The beeping noise grew more annoying, so she got out of bed to see what it was about. She raised her arm to expose the alien device on her own hand. She knew it was not the same as the model that Martha had, but it had so far served its purpose. The device lit up as it showed the message from Dr. Kimber. It was a copy of a message from Dr. Jackson. She barely finished it, before she cursed as she rose from her bed.

Getting dressed and using the facilities, she quickly made her way towards the elevator that would take her down to the engineering deck. Once there, she marched straight towards Dr. Jackson as he was going over some readings of the ship.

"What is this I am seeing here, Doctor, about energy readings?" Dr Alenkov asked as she came to him.

Dr. Jackson slowly turned around. From his appearance he looked like that he hadn't had any rest since coming on board. Concerned Dr. Alenkov looked at him closely, "Dr. Jackson, have you had any sleep since...?" she asked.

"No, not since we first activated. And I was going to get some rest when you came in here. It was just that I wanted to make sure that the readings are correct." he stated.

"So what are you telling me about this?" she asked, holding up her tablet, careful not to show him that she had an alien device on her arm.

"The energy readings we had been getting from the ship are growing weaker as the chart stated, Director. As I did further research, it appears the ship is running on auxiliary power and that is a dangerous thing to have. We only have so much time till-" it was then that he was interrupted by Dr. Alenkov.

"How much time to do we have?" she asked.

"I'd say several days at least. This ship was running on auxiliary power for the last 325 million years, ma'am. That power was used to run the holograms that had hid this ship well. It has not seen maintenance in some time. We don't have the means necessary to fix the problem or to make the fuel needed to fill those reserves. Our only option is to figure out how to repair the main fusion engine and to reactivate it." Dr. Jackson replied.

"Do you know how to repair the engines?" she asked.

"I do but reactivating the drones needed to repair the drive core is complicated." Dr. Jackson replied.

"How complicated?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"Very complicated," Dr. Jackson explained, his haggard features showing his distress.

"Dr. Jackson, let me make myself clear on this issue: I have the lives of everyone – and I mean _everyone –_ onboard this vessel to think about. And anything, ANYTHING, that could help us get off this vessel and back to the surface can help," she said to him.

Dr. Jackson sighed before answering. "We just discovered them a while ago. Drones, left lifeless without cause or concern. But when we found them, they were nothing more than husks of machinery left to die here at the bottom of the ocean. It was not till recently, with this newly awakened ship that the drones finally are able to serve a purpose. But the only one that can give them that purpose is locked in the room behind the medical ward," he said.

"The Central Computer," Dr. Alenkov replied to him.

"Yes, the central computer only _**it**_ is able to program the drones to repair the damage done to the main engine," he said.

"Why can't we do it?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"It's too dangerous, Dr. Alenkov. Element Zero is highly radioactive, and should anyone touch it, they would die. Look at Martha; it was only through the alien device on her arm that she was saved. If not, she would have been still cold as ice. We need that computer on if we want a chance to survive," Dr. Jackson said.

"Get some sleep, Dr. Jackson, you look like shit." With that, Dr. Alenkov turned on her heels and walked out of the room, leaving Dr. Jackson behind to brood on what she just said.

As he watched her leave he could not help but feel for the woman. She worries so much and yet... why hesitate? He then turned towards the volunteers that had heard the conversation, "I'm going to turn in. Alert me if there are any changes," he said before making his way towards the doors that would leave him to the elevator, his mind no longer at ease at the words that came out of Dr. Alenkov's mouth.

As the elevator rose towards the main crew quarters, as the people called it, his mind could not help but wonder about the decisions that the Russian woman would make. But he could see her hesitation in activating the computer. Dr. Kimber told him in a brief message from the tablets about it. As the door opened, Dr. Jackson made his way towards the medical ward. He knew Dr. Kimber was there, at the central computer module.

She looked up from her terminal right when Dr. Jackson came walking in.

"James? What are you doing here?" asked Dr. Kimber as she looked over the readings.

"Has Dr. Alenkov come to talk to you?" he asked her.

"No, she hasn't. Why, is there something wrong? Is it about the power readings?" Dr. Kimber asked.

"I don't know. When I told her about them, she wanted to know what happened, but when I explained the possible solution, she walked away," Dr. Jackson explained.

Dr. Kimber sighed, "Dr. Alenkov has a lot on her mind especially the safety of our people. She only wants what is best for the crew. When I showed her the terminal, it read _Enhance Defense Intelligence._ Maybe she thinks that it is a sort of defensive computer programmed to kill us all?" Dr. Kimber said.

"But what option do we have, Rebecca? I mean, I know she means well, but we are trying to survive. We have only three days till we are all back in the stone age. If we can just get this thing going again, then maybe... you know what? Why don't we ask Martha to help us? I mean, the girl has helped us with solving the ship's secrets so maybe..." Dr. Jackson said.

"You will leave Martha out of this!" Dr. Kimber said glaring at Dr. Jackson. The man quickly reeled back from the outburst as the woman walked directly in front of him.

She glared at him with as much anger as she could muster. Dr. Jackson was amazed at the change in the woman. And if they were not in such a dire situation, he would have found it attractive. However, the exhaustion he felt was starting to get to him. And he left the computer room to brood in his own bed. Making his way back towards the crew quarters, he walked into the room that held many beds. He went towards the restrooms to shower after getting his things. Once he was fully recovered, he made his way towards his bed. It was the one on the far side of the room. As soon as he put his head down he did not think any more, for his mind had shut off into blackness.

MEANWHILE

Dr. Alenkov returned to her room after her encounter with Dr. Jackson in the engine room. The thought of turning on the computer was hard to think about. She sat there brooding as she looked out into the darkness of the abyss beyond. The thought of reactivating the central computer of the ship was exciting, but at the same time worrying. A fish suddenly swam up to the window, its large eyes staring at the ship as if it was something of a curiosity. This far down into the depths, Dr. Alenkov would usually have wondered what species could survive down here for so long. But, then again, evolution has its miracles and nightmares.

The fish seemed to stare at her for a bit longer before drifting off, its bioluminescence the only sign of its existence into the deep. As it flipped its tail, it slowly drifted away, leaving the woman staring after it in longing.

 _If only things were this easy,_ she thought as she looked at the lights around her room. Now that she thought about it, her room was just as luxurious as the rest of the ship. But the weapons this ship has were meant for a military vessel. It was something that both confused and intrigued her. Surely such a ship should not have a need of such firepower?

That was the thought that went through Dr. Alenkov's mind as she thought about what Dr. Jackson said in the engine room. The three days they had left at full power without the proper repairs to the main power source could cripple them. She had her doubts, but at this point, what options did she have? She looked at the walkie-talkie on the desk. It was one of the few things they could use to communicate publicly. The only problem was that the entire ship can hear you because everyone is on the same channel. She then looked down at her own wrist.

The alien device that was on her own wrist glowed as if waiting to respond. Dr. Alenkov knew how to use it to send signals to others, and so she typed in a few keys. It was a more simplified version compared to Martha's more complex one. But still it had its uses.

"This is Dr. Alenkov. I want all department heads to report to my office in two hours. Over," she said as she closed it.

She then looked outside the window to see the fish once again float on by.

MEANWHILE

Martha stared at the ceiling above her head, the many glowing lights shining like stars in the skies.

 _I wonder if this is what it feels like to fly through space?_ She thought as she stared into the darkness, her thoughts drifting towards Aaron and of home. A soft smile graced her lips as she thought of him and of finally being able to leave the ship once and for all.

 _Soon, I will be able to go home_ , she thought.

As she thought of that, another thought came to her. She thought about the floating items that were moving about in the medical ward just after she woke up. Sitting up on her bed, she looked around her room. She got lucky having one of the larger rooms on the ship. Others had to share the crew quarters but they didn't seem to mind. But people like Dr. Alenkov, and some of the other personnel, had their own rooms mixed with their offices. She even found the ship's bar. Turns out Hilary and Ichigo's room had a built-in bar. But the bottles were empty which makes it hard to think of what they had in there.

She looked up from where she sat on the bed looking towards the many space vessels in the glass case just to the side near the bathroom. The sight of the many vessels there intrigued her. Getting up, she walked over to the case to see them for herself. What shocked her was the sheer detail that was put into the creation of each vessel. The one in the middle was what drew her attention as she leaned in.

It was a full scale model of the Normandy itself. She recognized it from the hologram in the main command center of the ship. It had the same details as the hologram, but not the additional details that the hologram gave of the ship's diagnostics. She now knew how the ship looked like but not how big it is. She looked at each ship and saw their size in the case. But she didn't know of their actual size in reality.

 _Are they bigger than the Normandy? Or are they smaller?_ Martha thought as she looked at each and every one of them. Then, as if responding to her, the glass case came to life with a glowing message detailing the size of each of the ships. Even the one that is on her desk showed its size.

 _Holy shit! If this is correct then some of these are HUGE!_ Martha thought as she looked at the details of each ship.

She then started to look around the room detailing the other parts, from the drawers to the fish tank. As she looked around she then locked eyes onto the helmet on the desk. It was a derelict thing as she walked closer to it. Picking it up, she flipped it over a few times, seeing the object for the first time. As she looked at it, she could not help but wonder at its human-like appearance. The large disks on the side could be that of ear pieces for communication. No one knew for sure as she looked inside and outside.

Just for jokes she put the helmet on.

And found to her surprise that it fit!

 _Whoa!_ She thought as she looked at the inside of the helmet. It was interesting to see the room from inside the helmet. She wondered if there was a HUD interface with the helmet. But there was nothing but silence. Slowly, she took off the helmet and placed it once again on the desk. The deep scratches and the burn marks were a testament to its time in space. She looked around the helmet to see the floating orb on the coffee table in front of the leather couches. Making her way there she sat down in front of it. The round surface looks as liquid as water.

Slowly she reached out to touch it in curiosity. The object then expanded itself briefly before converting back to where it belonged. It rippled like it was made with water. Martha was intrigued as she played with it further. The object in general just stayed in place as she moved it around with her hand.

"Cool!," she said to herself softly. Just as a joke she poked it and watched it ripple in effect.

Leaning back after having her fun, Martha wanted to do something more. Just as she was trying to think about something, the radio on her desk went off.

" _This is Dr. Alenkov. I want all department heads to report to my office in two hours. Over!"_ she heard Dr. Alenkov's voice; she sounded tired and worn out. They all were and Martha herself felt it.

As she was doing so, she had an idea. Since she was not in charge of any departments, she would just sit in her room and read. It has been a while since she read anything. But then again, she wanted to watch a movie. So she looked through her movie list on her computer, until she found the movie she was looking for. In the middle of it, though, she started to feel her eyes drooping as they began to feel tired and heavy.

Then, as soon as it came, it was over and the movie played its course. Martha stood up from where she was enjoying it to stretch. Then, as she was stretching, a thought came to her mind. One that she hadn't really thought about. Turning towards the helmet, she began to focus her energy towards that helmet. She thought of it coming to her. But nothing happened.

"Shit," she thought in frustration as she wanted to throw something into the wall. Then a thought came to her. What if what happened is emotion-based? She then started to think about it again, focusing her mind on the helmet. But once again, nothing happened.

"Fuck!" she grew frustrated and stomped her foot and that sent the helmet towards her at a rapid speed. Eyes widening in shock, Martha had just enough time to duck, before it collided with the wall behind her. Turning towards the helmet, she found that it was intact and hardly any scratches on it. She thought for sure that it would shatter and break.

 _Guess this thing is made of sterner stuff,_ she thought. She then looked up at the wall to see that the ship didn't dent either. The drawers that made up the left side of her bed didn't dent, meaning that the ship, too, was made of sterner stuff.

"Holy shit!" Martha said out loud as she looked around.

"I guess I need to practice," she said with a sheepish look to her face at the potential mess she could have caused had she done this anywhere else.

DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE

The many department heads of the Normandy gathered in Dr. Alenkov's office. The chairs that were provided had proven useful when they group managed to sit down. Dr. Alenkov herself was seated at the head of the room, with Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds to her left and right, respectively. The two security heads were watching the moves of the people in the room and, before long, the many different department heads were in order from first to last.

Also at the head of the table, to the right of Major Reynolds, was Dr. Kimber, and to the left of Major Lawoski, was Dr. Jackson. The man looked a bit better than before, but due to lack of sleep, there were still bags under his eyes. The quiet mutterings of several people were the only sounds that could be heard around the room and, while most of them remained quiet, the atmosphere was indeed tense while they waited for the meeting to begin.

"Thank you all, for coming on such short notice," Dr. Alenkov said to them. That silenced the room as the many heads turned towards her.

"Elenna why are we here?" asked one of the department heads. He was a man dressed in a lab uniform, designated as ' _ **Element Zero Specialist**_ **.'** Dr. Alenkov looked at him with a glare, telling him to remain silent. Taking a deep breath, she rose from her seated position behind her desk.

"You are all here because I asked you to be here Robert," she said, getting up and looking at him.

"Ok, and why is that?" the man called Robert replied, sounding annoyed and impatient.

"I called you here to tell you, we have a critical problem. Several, in fact, and as you are all aware, we are in a desperate situation that must be resolved sooner rather than later." Dr. Alenkov said to them.

"You mean the lack of proper food and medical care?" said another man one that Dr. Alenkov found rather annoying. He was the same man she remembered yelling at Martha when she was retelling how she solved the riddle that gave them time. Now it was time to pay her back.

"Yes, I am talking about proper medical care and food, for starters. We now have air, water and power, but for how long? Dr. Jackson, here, has recently told me that we are in short supply of the third and if we don't act soon, we would be back where we started," Dr. Alenkov replied. As soon as she said that, there was an outcry of rage from several people. They were not pleased by the outcome that Dr. Alenkov revealed.

"How could you let this happen!" one shouted and that was followed by, "You bitch, you are going to lead us to our deaths!" another shouted. The shouting started, but just as things were about to escalate, Dr. Alenkov raised her hand, urging everyone to silence. That silent gesture went unheard until she put her fingers to her mouth and gave a very loud, shrill, whistle. It seemed to have worked as everyone stared at her in shock.

"Before we degrade to that of children, might I remind you that Dr. Jackson was just about to speak," she said calmly. Though inside, she was enraged by these people. Her hand shook as she plotted revenge. But the lack of food was making her want to kill them anyways, but she stopped herself from trying. There were others onboard this vessel that needed them and now was not the time to become like an animal.

Then, as soon as she thought those things, all eyes turned to Dr. Jackson. The older man was a bit uncomfortable when the attention was drawn to him, but he slowly rose from his seat and cleared his throat. His voice was quivering when he addressed the crowd.

"Um...right...Well, as I stated to Dr. Alenkov, after going over the readings of the ship, it is estimated that we will run out of power in two days' time," he said. As expected, this lead to a major uproar, which was quickly squashed by Major Lawoski cocking his gun in his holster. Once again, it was the man named Robert who addressed the person speaking.

"If we run out of power in two days, then what was the point in activating the ship?" he said and this led to more grumblings. It was then that Dr. Kimber rose from her seat.

"The point to activating this ship was to give us a fighting chance to get back to the surface. Now, mind you, Dr. Jackson does have a point we only have two days of power..." she was then interrupted by Robert once again.

"Only giving us two fucking days till we die!" he shouted, standing up. "You and that bitch have only given us two fucking days! Screw you, Alenkov, I am not about to die here in this hell hole!" Robert shouted at Dr. Alenkov, but to the surprise of everyone else, he was met by the cocking of a gun. Major Lawoski held a pistol towards Robert and the man looked at her in shock.

"Sit down, Dr. Caradine, or else I will put a bullet through your heart and then what are you going to tell your wife?" The gun was pointing at him now, and Robert quickly shrank back into his seat, his fists shaking with rage as he stared at the cold demeanor of Dr. Alenkov. She could hear him muttering, 'Damn Russian bitch,' to himself.

"Is there something else you would like to add, Dr. Caradine?" she asked him.

The man Robert Caradine glared at her, his gray eyes a testament to his angry and stormy demeanor. The hate that radiated off him was clearly shown as he wanted nothing more than to mutiny against the others.

"So you are going to hold us hostage with a gun now is that it?" asked another scientist and Dr. Alenkov sighed before answering.

"No, Ms. Bradshaw, I am not holding you hostage. However, will you please listen to what I have to say before screaming at me?" she asked politely. The others quickly muttered to themselves before quieting.

"Now, before we were interrupted, Dr. Jackson had pointed out that we do have two days of power left because the main fusion reactor is offline," she said to them.

It was at this moment that Dr. Jackson spoke up, "The current power levels we have been using is what this ship would normally operate, had it been on the main fusion line. However, for the past 325 million years, it has been on auxiliary power. And the power cells that run them are a helium-based fuel. We don't have the means to create the exact fuel needed to power up those cells, so unless we can reactivate the fusion reactor, we are screwed," he said.

"Then why haven't we reactivated the fusion reactor yet?" said Dr. Shenoy.

"The problem is not as easy to solve as one would think," Dr. Jackson said, feeling a bit more confident. He now stood in front of everyone else, his balding scalp and facial scars a testament to his time in the E.Z.C.

"And what is the problem?" asked another scientist, this one of African descent. His accent was thick when he asked, and his dark eyes curious as he pierced Dr. Jackson's own.

"The problem is the fusion reactor itself," said Dr. Kimber as she stood up from her seat, allowing Dr. Jackson to sit down once more. She took center stage as the second leading expert on alien technology.

"The fusion reactor is damaged. There are several cracks along its main fusion chamber as well as the conduits that lead to the chamber itself. To activate it now would be a total disaster and everyone onboard would be killed in the process. The only way to reactivate it is to repair it, but to do so would mean putting people at risk of exposure to element zero; something we can't afford," she said.

"So we either die slowly or we die of radiation poisoning?" Dr. Caradine said to her.

"There is, however, a third option we had not considered, but we don't know how it would work, given the amount of time it has been on standby," Dr. Kimber replied, her voice quivering with nervousness.

"And that is?" asked another person in the room.

"We reactivate the central computer," Dr. Kimber replied.

"The Central Computer? Why hasn't it been reactivated yet?" asked another scientist.

"Simply put: the safety of the crew. The Central Computer system, the Enhanced Defense Intelligence, is a computer system that far surpasses any computer system on the planet. If we reactivate it without knowing what we are getting into, then we risk a viral infection that could wipe out all our technology, so to speak. Or, it might be so corrupted with age that it would kill us by taking away the air or flooding the ship with seawater again. We didn't want to risk it without approval from the rest of the heads of staff," Dr. Alenkov replied instead of Dr. Kimber.

"So you want us to decide if we want to reactivate the central computer system? Why can't we ask Martha to do it? She, after all, reactivated the ship's systems as it is already, didn't she?" said Dr. Caradine in argument.

"Martha is only a civilian and has done enough for us as it is. To ask for her help once more would be using her as nothing more than a machine. She is a human being - a single human being - and to force her to do this would make us nothing more than monsters," said Hilary who spoke up from the back of the room. As head of the Marine biology department she was also welcomed to this meeting.

"Dr. Ballard, I didn't ask for your opinion - not that I expect much from a whore," Robert said to her and her eyes glared daggers at him, "What did you say...?"

"Enough!" Dr. Alenkov called out, her voice raised. Both scientists looked chastised by the anger that radiated off her voice.

"Dr. Caradine, Dr. Ballard is right Martha is a human being, not an animal, and you would do well to remember as such. She has done enough for us, it is time we do our part to solve this issue. And we need to do so now, for whatever happens in this room, we _all_ would be responsible for the consequences that would happen, should something go wrong, do I make myself clear?" she said and they all nodded.

"You said that the central computer is the third option for reactivating the fusion reactor, is that correct?" asked one man in the back. When all heads turned towards him, he sat there on his chair with a bit more confidence in asking. But his rounded face showed that he was ready to ask.

"Yes, that is correct, Dr. Yao. That computer, it seems, controls the whole ship. It is the main hub in which the ship operates. To do much without it would not be wise. But then again, we had gotten this far." said Dr. Kimber.

"But for how long? If you don't mind me asking, Dr. Kimber, but do you know what the computer controls on this ship?" asked Dr. Yao.

Dr. Kimber took a deep breath her eyes never leaving Dr. Yao's as she answered, "From what I gathered in the computer hub, the central computer known as the Enhanced Defense Intelligence - or E.D.I. - controls the basic functions of the ship. It also controls the ship's main defense mechanisms and advanced cyberwarfare suites. Meaning, that it has firewalls that are a thousand times more advance than any known firewall on Earth. So, whatever this ship was, it was packing quite a punch. For a ship that has the facilities of a luxury liner, it also has the artillery of an advanced warship. So we don't know exactly what this ship is capable of doing. For all we know, it could have once been a vessel for some high-up dignitary."

Dr. Yao looked at Dr. Kimber with a smile, "Well, to answer your question about what it was my team uncovered - a vast quantum entanglement communications network. Or it would be, it if it was activated. From what we gathered, the main meeting room onboard this vessel has two purposes; to act as a meeting room and as a main communications hub. One of my assistants found it while inspecting the table in the room. The table lowers into the floor and becomes a sort of entanglement device. However, we don't have the means to respond to any communications in that field. That is way too advanced for us to use at this point in time." Dr. Yao replied to Dr. Kimber.

"So what you are saying, is that we could use that as a means to communicating to the surface?" she asked.

"No, we don't have the technology to communicate or receive such a message, should we use it. However, the computer might be able to track where the message comes and goes, if it was activated." Dr. Yao replied.

A light seemed to come on with Dr. Jackson as his face lit up, "You want to use it to somehow track where the Ocean Odyssey went?" he said.

"But that would be impossible; we don't know where it is, because we lost contact with the surface," said Dr. Caradine.

"Perhaps not," a voice said, and all heads turned, surprised, to Major Reynolds who stood to Dr. Alenkov's right. He walked forward when both Dr. Kimber and Dr. Yao took their seats once again.

"Major is there something you want to add?" Dr. Alenkov asked him.

"Yes, when Major Lawoski and I were on the bridge, we saw how the controls operate. The navigation system is so far non-existent to the naked eye, but judging by the rest of this ship, it uses a holographic interface. So that means, that it must have a means to navigate that is way more sophisticated then ours. But then again, this ship is intended for outer space, not the bottom of the ocean," he replied.

Major Lawoski nodded the affirmative. "Reynolds is right. From what we both observed, this vessel has some major punch to it. The guns, for example, in the very front of the ship? Those things pack some serious firepower, and the missiles, torpedoes and laser cannons that Dr. Mayer discovered before he died in the explosion of the E.Z.C.? Well, that shows that this thing, this ship, is no ordinary luxury liner. If that computer that Dr. Kimber talks about has anything to do with it, then that means that it takes some serious computing power to target with that much weaponry onboard."

"The Major is right, the armor plating on this vessel far exceeds that of anything we could have come up with," said another voice, this one coming from a man who clearly would rather keep to himself. Getting up from his chair, his dark complexion was framed by a snow-white beard, the contrast between them emphasizing each other. As he stepped forwards, his gait was nothing but a limp - the only thing holding him up was his crutch.

"Dr. Chidozie, what do have to add to the table?" Dr. Alenkov asked the man as he shakily walked forward towards the center of the room. He looked at everyone before his raspy voice filled it with something born from age.

"I had to mention the shielding and armored plating that my former colleague and I discovered when we first dove down back in 1976. It was made of a material so strong that it could withstand time itself. Now, we didn't know how the seawater had gotten into the ship when we heard the boys had opened it. But we assumed that somewhere on this ship there was a hull breach. That is not the case," he said.

"Explain," asked Dr. Alenkov.

"The computer was active when the ship crashed more then 300 million years ago. So that means, it must have activated the holographic interface to disguise the ship as it sank below the ocean. Now, I am not an expert in computers, but I know armor plating, and the plating for this ship is far stronger than anything we ever can create. At least not on earth anyways." Dr. Chidozie replied.

"What are you saying, doctor?" asked Dr. Kimber.

"What I am saying, is that Normandy - as it calls itself - operates by different rules and different laws of physics. The armor plating you see outside of the ship is made from a metal alloy not found on our planet. In fact, when I look at it carefully, it is created using an Iridium-Diamond-based alloy, something that can't be manufactured here on Earth. For that, one has to forge it in space where it is most commonly found, such as on asteroids," Dr. Chodozie replied.

"Are you saying that whoever built this, built it in space?" asked Dr. Shenoy. The reply was a nod from Dr. Chodozie, the older scientist turning towards the crowds, his eyes locking onto each and every one of them.

"Now, I've been studying this ship longer than most of you and I have seen many people come and go. But I got to tell you one thing: If there was anything wrong with the computer, that would be because of misuse. Nothing personal, but the user determines what the computer can or can't do, at least in human terms," he said before hobbling back to his seat in the back of the room. The others remained quiet as they thought this over, but it was once again Dr. Caradine who replied, "If that were the case, isn't Iridium brittle?" he asked.

"Brittle by itself and in its raw form. That is why it is rare to see it on the surface of the planet. Its density is so heavy that it sinks below the crust of the Earth. But in space, where there is no gravity, it can remain on the surface. So if they made this ship using an alloy based on Iridium and some other form of metal, like say diamond, then that would make it a nearly impenetrable armor plating." Dr. Chodozie replied.

Dr. Caradine was silent afterwards, thinking about the possibilities of the ship and what it can do. But one person stuck to the topic, and that was Dr. Alenkov, who remained leaning against her desk, "So, with that discovery out of the way, I want to hear what you would think if we reactivated the central computer?" she asked.

"If I may ask, Dr. Alenkov, what would that solve?" asked Dr. Caradine once again.

"Aren't you listening, Robert? The computer basically controls the ship! Dr. Jackson found repair drones that can only be activated by the computer. So if we were to turn it on and activate the repair drones we can get the fusion reactor going!" said Dr. Kimber.

"Why would we want it going? Isn't the surface going to help us?" asked Dr. Yao.

"We can't depend on the surface any longer, we had been down here for more than two months now, and we got lucky by rationing our water, but what then? We need to get back up to the surface and we need to do that now! Before we starve to death, or worse, eat each other," Dr. Jackson had a point, and Dr. Alenkov nodded before turning towards the crew.

"All in favor of activating the central computer show hands," Dr. Alenkov stated, and nearly everyone showed hands - only one person was opposed to it, and that was a man who was skeptical about the computer and its uses.

"Alright, in an hour, we will reactivate the Enhanced Defense Intelligence. All parties, please prepare your departments for possible outcomes. Dismissed," Dr. Alenkov said as they stood up. The group then got out of their chairs and headed out towards the main mess area, hoping for some time to think.

"You know Robert is going to cause trouble, right?" said Major Lawoski. Dr. Alenkov sighed as she allowed the stress of the day to get to her, "I know that, Major, but what can I do? Robert has a right to be worried as are the rest of us. But his shit is uncalled for. And I expect further trouble from him in the future if things don't go as planned," Dr. Alenkov said.

"Should we keep an eye on him, then?" asked Major Reynolds as he put away his pistol.

"Yes, as well as the rest of the crew, for I fear if this fails, we are all going to die." With that, the two men left, leaving Dr. Alenkov alone in her office. Her hands began to shake as she tried to calm herself down.

 _What I wouldn't give for a bottle of vodka right now,_ she thought. And she knew that things were only just getting started.

TBC

 **A/n: Ok so this is a bit longer then I anticipated but then again the original was a bit too….bland. After all these people are not so stupid as to touch every single thing and turn it on at a whim. That part I was not satisfied with in the original. So I decided to lengthen the concern that the crew has to E.D.I. and what her purpose is. They don't know that she is an artificial intelligence so they don't know what would happen if they turned her on. Secondly when I realized that this chapter was going to be lengthy I decided to put it into two parts this one is of the debate people have to activating EDI and the second part is actually activating it. The third part of the problem is power because it builds more to the story then originally thought. The inspiration for that one came from Stargate Universe where they had to solve a whole bunch of problems in order to survive.**

 **I kind of wanted to do the same here for a bit it adds to the intensity of the story. Anyhow this was the first part of EDI's reactivation the second part will be coming up shortly of her actual reactivation and repairs to the ship. So until next time….ALOHA!**


	15. Activation of an Artificial Intelligence

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT FOR THEY BELONG TO BIOWARE AND EA GAMES.**

 **A/n: Man! Ok so I had a very bad review that came into my email when I started writing this chapter, and let me tell you that I was royally pissed! Ok it is one thing to give constructive criticism to a story and point out some of the weaker points to it. Thus giving some advice on how to improve it which is what a fanfiction review is all about. But that does not mean someone has to full on troll every single thing about this story! The person did not leave a signed review they basically just gave a Guest review and full on slandered the story! The person said that I should stop fingering myself while torturing people! Really, REALLY! Fingering myself while torturing people how retarded can someone be. I want to see them in that situation and tell me to basically go f* &^ myself. So I am so glad that has a delete reviews page on their site that deletes guest reviews that are horrible. Thank God Almighty for that page or else I would have gone **_**insane**_ **looking at that review day in and day out.**

 **Other then that, Sorry for the delay I blame both work and life in general. It has been hectic and exciting at the same time. Or not so exciting more like frustrating but I will not get into details about that. Anyhow on with the details of this chapter. Ok so last time the story told of the moral standards facing the crew of the Normandy on whether or not to activate the man computer (a.k.a. E.D.I.), but it quickly turned into a huge debate of should or shouldn't. And then there is the lingering doom of the damage that was caused in the engines. So we also have that problem as well as the potential power outage. So there you go a quick recap of the last chapter.**

 **On the plus side I also would like to thank my awesome beta who has stuck with me this far. I don't know how you put up with my antics but you are the best. And good luck with your new job!**

 **So anyhow without further a do please leave a review at the end of the chapter but no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, OR FLAMES PLEASE! I mean it outright flaming will be reported to administration.**

 **This one will be the big reveal so don't worry I won't delay you any further. So here we go.**

 **Ok now on with the story….**

 **Mass Effect the Immortal Series Part 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 14: Activation of An Artificial Intelligence**

NORMANDY MEDICAL WARD

Dr. Alenkov stood in the medical ward, awaiting the rest of the crew. She had already spoken to both Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Amari about what might happen to the crew should things not go as planned. Both medical doctors had prepared their ward as best they could for such an outcome and were ready for any further incidents. Already, they had a few incidents they had to deal with. On one bed, one of the assistants to Dr. Jackson had accidentally wandered a bit too close to one of the coolant tubes leading towards the engine. The coolant pipe that led to the engine have been frozen for so long that the room was well below freezing. The man in question had suffered severe frostbite and was undergoing treatments for the damage to his hands, feet, and face. Luckily for them, Normandy's advanced medical equipment was able to repair the damage and regrow the lost skin and ligaments that the person had lost from frostbite.

On the bed next to him was a woman, one of the biotic subjects. She had tried to learn how to use her budding powers by trying to get a kitchen knife to come to her. That ended in disaster after she accidentally stabbed herself in the shoulder, just missing an artery. Both doctors were baffled by that incident, but were more than happy to know that the problem could now be easily fixed.

The third incident since the meeting of the department heads happened to be a brawl between two men in the Mess Hall area. Both men were fighting because one of them accidentally groped the rear end of a female support worker while reaching for a rag just opposite of her. That led to an altercation with another man and the two ended up brawling in the Mess Hall. Major Lawoski was there with security to split up the fighting and led them here to be patched up.

Both doctors had their hands full in the hour that came after the meeting with Dr. Alenkov. The whole ship was in a panic as they wanted to feel safe and secure when they activated the central computer. But most were apprehensive as to what might happen when it's fully online. Some would state that, because of the dreams, the computer might take over their minds like in a sci-fi movie. But assurances have been made by Dr. Zenger that if such an incident would occur, then preventative steps were in place to keep everyone safe.

But now, the hour was nearly up and already, both doctors could see the department heads and Dr. Alenkov gathered around outside of the medical ward. They didn't look very happy to be here, but still they were ready and prepared for anything that might happen. Dr. Zenger was the first to enter the room to stand with Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy, his face apprehensive but ready for any sort of backlash.

As they waited, the group continued to gather, with only Dr. Caradine being the last to arrive. As the last of them arrived, the door finally opened to allow Dr. Alenkov and the rest of the heads of staff to enter. All those on the bed were given privacy curtains to make sure that privacy was kept, but none were closed. All the patients there wanted to see if anything should happen when the ship was reactivated. Walking with a gait meant for a military execution, Dr. Alenkov, along with Dr. Kimber, led the way.

The back of the medical ward had a door that was just as large and as circular as the rest of the doors on the ship. With that being said, the familiar green holographic circle split to allow the door to open to the visitors. The many people that entered the rather small room found themselves quickly surrounded by the many box-shaped squares that make up the central computer.

Dr. Kimber walked up to the pedestal that contains the computer activation terminal. She saw the charts instantly change to English, allowing her to read the many graphs and power outputs going into the various systems of the ship. Looking at the charts once more, she turned towards Dr. Alenkov waiting for the signal. Nodding her head, Dr. Alenkov turned towards the group.

"Are you ready for what is about to happen?" she asked.

Several people nodded their heads stating their readiness for the unexpected. Taking a deep breath, Dr. Kimber quickly activated the interactive interface on the console. When she did, the computer interface went from _Enhanced Defense Intelligence Offline_ to _Enhanced Defense Intelligence Ready._ The crowd held their breath as she typed in the password that Martha used to activate the Normandy. There was a thick silence that held as she waited. The screen then changed to _Running diagnostics….._ Everyone held their breath, waiting. Then finally the screen changed to _Enhanced Defense Intelligence system online_.

Everyone breathed a sigh that, so far, nothing happened, but that was when the screen suddenly went dark.

"Shit!" Dr. Kimber said as she looked at the now blank screen.

" _Enhanced Defense Intelligence Online how may I help you Dr. Kimber?"_ an automated voice said over the speakers of the ship.

"What the fuck?" said Dr. Jackson.

Then, as if to answer, a holographic blue orb appeared on the side, startling everyone and when it spoke again, this time the message was clear, _"I am the Enhanced Defense Intelligence main operating computer system of the Normandy Stealth Reconnaissance Starship. State your name and status please."_ The orb's inner part moved like the lines on a sound system graph. The movements mimicked those of sideways lips on a cartoon character.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" said Major Reynolds as he stared in shock at the computer in front of him.

" _Jesus Christ also known as Jehovah, or Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is a Christian deity of the Middle Eastern Region of Israel, said to be the father of Christianity, a subculture of Judaism in the year 0 A.D. and was crucified in the year 30 A.D. but my systems can't measure the word Fuck as it is a french word for any sort of intimate sexual activity,"_ was the reply from the computer.

"Um shit," Major Lawoski replied.

" _The word Shit does not compute, please state your name and your status please,"_ the orb said once again.

Everyone looked at each other in shock but it was Dr. Kimber who answered, "Rebecca Kimber, Head of Alien Technologies research division for the Challenger Deep Project."

The orb before them finally responded, _"Kimber, Rebecca, born April 23, 1964 to Joshua Kimber and Rosalie McDonald of Sandusky, Ohio. Graduated from Sandusky High School in 1982, graduated from the University of Harvard in New York in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in Space Astronomy and Engineering and a Masters in Outer Space Exploration in 1989, has been part of the Challenger Deep Project since the year 2001. Welcome, Dr. Kimber."_

Now the response was immense, as everyone started muttering to themselves. This discovery was astronomical as they started to whisper and speak about the possibilities until Dr. Alenkov raised her hand, "Elenna Alenkov, director of the Challenger Deep Project," she said.

" _Alenkov, Elenna, born December 16, 1956 to Yuskov Kalashnik and Verka Leontiy of_ _Izhhevsk, Russia. Graduated from School number 53 in Izhhevsk in the year1974 and joined the military_ _after receiving a degree in Administration, Military Science and Astronomy at the University of Moscow, became an intelligence analyst for the Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti in 1983. Later, she met Ivan Alenkov in Moscow when they both served in the Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije. When they both were dismissed from the Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije in 1991 to work for the The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, they both started dating and married in 1993. You have three children from that marriage, all of which pursued careers in science and technology."_ Now that it was said, the room went quiet as Dr. Alenkov stared at the glowing orb before her, "You know those files of myself in the Russian Military were **classified**."

" _Classification does not hinder itself to me. I can access any information in a matter of seconds in this time period. In the time since my activation I have been able to fully access your satellite network and extracted the data I need to make an analysis of the crew. Therefore, your information is safe with me,"_ the computer replied.

"Wait? Did you just make an informative statement?" asked Hilary, now baffled by the orb.

" _My primary function is to observe and offer advice to crew members, as well as protect this ship from cybernetic attacks. Any sort of attack at the digital level is left at the mercy of my programming. However, I am also in charge of the functionality of this ship as it is a part of me. I am the mind and soul of the Normandy, an artificial intelligence designed to aid the crew in their time of need."_ the computer replied.

"An Artificial Intelligence! This….this is HUGE!" Dr. Jackson said out loud.

Dr. Alenkov remained cool as she examined the artificial intelligence, "Do you have any names other than your full function? It is kind of a mouthful to call you by your full name?"

" _If it makes you more comfortable, you can call me EDI,"_ EDI replied.

That gained a sigh of relief from the crew members. However, Dr. Alenkov's demeanor was different as she examined EDI. The orb continued to float just above its platform, motionless. Taking deep breaths, Dr. Alenkov tried to contain her anger at EDI's blunt statement of Dr. Alenkov's personal file. When she was cooled down enough, she asked the orb, "Why did you tell everyone something that was supposed to be kept classified by my government's highest security?"

"Why are you asking EDI that question, Doc? I mean, we all knew you were in the military, but KGB? Shit, that would explain a lot, and at this point, we don't care," said Major Lawoski.

" _I apologize if I caused you any discomfort, Dr. Alenkov, I was only doing what my function states. If you want, I will not access your files again unless you give me permission to do so. However, being that we are in a tight situation, it was necessary to come clean,"_ EDI replied.

"You mean you know everyone's secrets on this ship?" asked Dr. Caradine.

" _Dr. Robert Caradine, is that correct? I only stated the history of my crew members as a sign of trust. Their secrets are safe with me. However, anything else leaving this room without the express permission of persons here, would be a violation of trust. And as a violation of trust I will take appropriate actions otherwise,"_ EDI replied.

"So what is said in this room stays in this room?" said Dr. Caradine, sitting back shocked at the scolding.

" _That is correct,"_ EDI replied.

"Um...right, um EDI if I may, we came here hoping you could help us? We seem to have a problem with the main power supply. The ship is only running on auxiliary power and we only have two days left before we are back to where we are. So, if you could please show us how to activate the repair drones we saw earlier below deck, then maybe we can have this ship fully functioning again," Dr. Jackson said to EDI.

" _Searching for signs of structural damage…..multiple damages reported, appropriate actions are taken. Repair drones have been activated and repairs should take about seven hours to complete. Also, a warning: Element Zero fuel leak has been detected, multiple crew members onboard the ship have been exposed."_ EDI replied as she took in multiple dots along the ship's holographic image.

"Yes, um EDI about that, are they in any danger of dying?" asked Dr. Amari.

" _Element Zero is very dangerous and highly radioactive. It is not recommended for anyone to be near element zero at this time. However, small exposures to element zero can cause DNA reconfiguration and restructuring along multiple genomes."_ EDI replied.

"Alright everyone, I think it is a little cramped in here, so we should be getting out into a larger area, what do you say," said a voice and they all turned to see Dr. Zenger there at the back of the crowd. He was showing a look of concern at how many people were in the computer room and so they all started to filter out of the area. When they were back into the larger medical bay, Dr. Alenkov told everyone that they should now return to their stations until further notice. Many grumblings could be heard as the group slowly dispersed, leaving left Dr. Alenkov, the two medical doctors, Dr. Zenger, Dr Kimber and Dr. Jackson there, waiting.

"We need to head back to the surface as soon as possible, Dr. Alenkov, for if we don't get food soon, everyone will die regardless of activating the ship," said Dr. Amari.

"Oh, I am well aware of our problem. Right now, we need to focus our priorities and that is to get this ship ready for launch and for that to happen we need to do repairs," Dr. Alenkov stated as a matter of fact.

" _If I may, Dr. Alenkov?_ " EDI said from her station just to the side of where the desk would be.

"What can you help with EDI?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

" _I am well aware of your situation, and given that you don't have much time until the auxiliary power cells shut down, perhaps we can see what skill sets the crew is able to perform. Maybe that would help take your mind off of things until the repairs are complete and the system is ready for reboot,"_ EDI replied.

Dr. Alenkov stared at the orb floating on the platform next to the desk. She was silent and apprehensive as she thought about things, then, finally, she nodded before giving her answer, "Alright, we can discuss things in my office I have the information there."

" _Logging you out,"_ EDI replied before vanishing from the platform. The other crew members stared at where the platform disappeared. It was Dr. Kimber who finally said something, but her voice was a far cry from what it was earlier.

"Holy mother fucker!" she called out in excitement as she hopped up and down from her standing area. She was walking around at the same time, saying the same thing over and over, much to the annoyance of some people. Her breathing was labored as she tried to control herself and as she did, she was fanning herself like a girl at a rock concert.

Everyone was silent each feeling the same thing at the same time. None more so than Dr. Alenkov, who remained silent throughout the entire conversation. She was shocked and worried at the same time. An artificial intelligence was not something that they had expected when they turned on the computer. They thought it was just a normal computer armed with viruses, not a computer that has an intelligence of its own. The shock and the surprise that had come to each and every one of them was unexpected to say the least. The other part that got her surprised was how easily EDI broke into a high security system such as the one in Moscow. In just seconds, EDI was able to access the security firewalls and obtained her full file. When she signed up for the research project on behalf of both the U.N. and Russia she was not expecting such a hack to occur.

But, then again, EDI is an artificial intelligence from another world, and the technology that created her was far superior to that of Planet Earth's. If she could easily break into a firewall as strong as that, then she could break into any security system and they won't know what hit them. In fact, if she controls the cyber-security onboard the Normandy, then they have the strongest security system on the planet. A lot of things raced through her mind. But one thing was for sure: EDI could communicate with the surface world.

But how? It was one of the things she could discuss with the artificial intelligence when she returned to her office.

"Rebecca, please calm down, you are making a complete fool out of yourself," said Dr. Shenoy as he was trying desperately to calm Dr. Kimber down from her excitement. That snapped Dr. Alenkov out of her thoughts as she stared at her compatriots. If EDI has access to her files, then she has access to their files as well. Things could not have gotten worse.

"I will be heading towards my office, Dr. Kimber. I expect you will be monitoring the situation from here?" she said to the overly excited scientist. That seems to have calmed her down a bit as she came off of her high somewhat. Standing at attention, she addressed Dr. Alenkov, "Yes, ma'am," she said.

"Dr. Zenger will you please come to my office later to discuss the crew rosters," Dr. Alenkov said to the German man. "Yes Doctor, I will be there shortly," was the reply from Dr. Zenger.

"Good. Dr. Kimber, I expect you to behave, is that clear?" she said with some amusement in her voice. Dr. Kimber laughed sheepishly at her embarrassing moment before allowing Dr. Alenkov to walk away with Dr. Jackson in tow. Dr. Zenger wanted to stay a bit longer and speak with Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Amari. She began to head in the direction of her office, but not before stopping Dr. Jackson.

"Yes, Dr. Alenkov what can I do for you?" he asked.

"Keep an eye on the robots that are doing the repairs and monitor what they do. We can't fully trust EDI yet, so make sure everything is going well before we restart the engines," she said.

"Yes, Dr. Alenkov," Dr. Jackson replied before heading off towards the elevators. The woman sighed as she made her way slowly towards the doors that lead to her office. It was going to be a long day.

NORTHERN PHILIPPINES

He could hear the gunshots again and another body drop from the side. It was all he could hear from where he was sitting down in the cargo hold of the _Ocean Odyssey_. Micheal Cameron was no fool, he was well aware of what the pirates would have done to them, should the navy the U.N. provided show up to rescue them. He sat there with Enrique, looking at the men through the small port window throwing another body of a seemingly unimportant crew member overboard.

They were using this as a strategy to keep the navy at bay and so far it was working. Three people within the past three days were killed as a show of how serious the pirates were. Snipers from helicopters tried to get to them, but these guys were using the alien tech that they had stolen from the labs to bring them down. It was an all-out war against the pirates. He was wanting to know if he could find a way to get word out to the ships.

So far, the pirates had stolen everything the people owned. The only thing that Cameron owned was his camera and that, too, was destroyed. Enrique was faring a bit better than he was. Having grown up in the streets of Guatemala, he was used to starvation. So he was sitting against the far wall, listening to the shouting from some of the pirates. That was followed by another round of gunshots from outside. The navy was really trying to push its way onboard the vessel. So far, things were not looking good.

"How long do you think this can keep up until they get their act together?" Micheal asked Enrique.

Enrique shrugged, "Days, weeks maybe, it has been almost two or, is it three, months now and we had gone through several ports. I had seen several supply ships come and go from here, so that means that these guys are prepared for this situation."

"So we are talking about professional mercenaries here? I get it, so where are we heading?" Micheal asked curious but worried at the same time.

"I think from the direction we are going that we are heading towards Asia. Someone in Asia wants this tech and they are willing to pay pirates to get it," Enrique said to him.

"My money is on China," said another of the submersible pilots from the far corner of the room.

"I don't think so. If it was China, then why put a share hold on the research facility at the Challenger Deep. No, I say it is some Asian rogue company that is behind this, or maybe it is a front for someone else?" said another pilot.

There was a shout from the door as it opened and the guard came in. He held an AK-47 at the nearest person and started shouting at them in his native tongue. At their looks of confusion, it was the second guard that translated, "You will keep quiet no more talk! You have been warned!" With that, he slammed the door shut, leaving them in silence. That was followed by a loud **BOOM**! As something huge landed a distance away.

"What the fuck are they doing?" asked another pilot but this time he whispered it.

"I think someone found the heavy artillery cannon," said Micheal. It was followed by an explosion in the distance as one of the other warships was quickly sunk. The ones who were closest to the windows saw the action and their eyes went wide.

"How big is the cannon?" asked the person by the window.

"It is about the size of a normal bazooka but the firepower that comes from it can destroy a large warship," said Micheal.

The man gave a very soft whistle before pointing towards the window, "Well, they took out another ship," he said.

"Fuck!" was the reply from Micheal Cameron.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

"Sir, we just lost another ship," said the sonar operative.

The captain cursed his luck as he looked at the smoking heap that was once one of his own vessels. After pursuing the _Ocean Odyssey_ for nearly three months at sea, the vessel has proven to be more then capable to out-maneuvering them at every corner. They had just crossed out of Philippine waters and were now on course to Southeast Asia. The ship itself was being rather persistent with the pirates somehow finding ways to refuel and resupply along the way. They were also armed with Alien weaponry, capable of destroying whole warships with ease.

"Fuck! We need to figure out a solution soon," he said.

"Captain, a call from the admiral!" said his Communications Officer.

The Captain quickly ran towards the main communications line where the admiral was on the phone.

"This is the Captain," he said.

" _What the hell is going on out there!"_ he said from the other line.

"They appear to be using Alien tech sir. The Odyssey is full of it, meaning they managed to figure out some of the ones that are classified as weapons," said the Captain.

" _Fuck, they took out a large warship and damaged one of the Korean Aircraft Carriers. Please don't tell me they found something that can take out a ship of that size!_ " the Admiral said to him.

"Unfortunately sir, they did, and it not only destroyed those two, but reports from the other fleets say that they had destroyed several other ships with that sort of weaponry. We tried air strikes but they manged to blow them out of the sky, too," the captain replied.

He could hear the admiral cursing as he listened for about five minutes. When it was over he finally heard the Admiral give his new orders, _"You are to remain on course with that ship. We have a lock on your position and are closing in with reinforcements. Do they have any destination planned?"_

"Yes sir, it seems they are heading towards the coast of Vietnam, sir, and have been refueling using stealth ships that even our systems can't detect, and...they started killing hostages sir," said the Captain. The Admiral cursed once again before giving a directive. _"Do not engage them under any circumstances, these orders are also being relayed to the other fleets. The hostages are more important than the tech, and the research that those assholes stole is not to be taken either. Find out when those ships come in and intercept them whenever you can. Hold them off till the Vietnam fleet arrives. They should be there in a few days,"_ "Aye, Aye sir," said the Captain before the Admiral hung up on him.

Breathing a sigh, he went to relay orders to his crew. Walking to the bridge, he began to bark orders and watched as he crew ran around, trying to get things done in a timely manner. He just hoped that no more hostages were killed.

NORMANDY

Martha sat down at her desk for some time, drawing some of the ships in her display case. The boredom was starting to get to her as she was told to remain in her room until the computer finishes activation. So far, it had been three hours since the meeting to activate the computer. What was going on, she didn't know, as all forms of communications - including the walkie-talkies - no longer worked.

 _Maybe an EMP pulse?,_ she thought, but then again, her computer was fine. She figured that this room was isolated from everything else. Seems to be, as she was pretty much cut off from everything else. Still, she made do with the time by working on her drawing.

" _I believe I owe you a bit of thanks for reactivating the ship_ ," a voice said, startling Martha from her drawing and forcing a line to go across the paper.

"Shit!" she cursed at the now-ruined sketch of one of the ships.

" _I apologize if I caused you any sort of discomfort, I was only complementing on your past deed,"_ the voice said again. Turning around, Martha saw nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, there was no one in the room.

"Hello?" Martha said getting up.

" _Do not be alarmed I was only trying to say thank you,"_ the voice seemed to be coming from all around her.

"Um, who are you and where are you, because this is not funny," Martha said looking around.

" _Where are my manners I forgot that you have not seen me yet,"_ the voice replied and, suddenly, a bright ball of light appeared over the small tray nearest to the door. Martha jumped in surprise and fell over her chair, smacking her head against the door. Suddenly seeing stars and dots of blackness around her for what felt like hours, Martha laid back there while her brain reconfigured itself.

" _I apologize if I caused you any sort of discomfort, I will return when you are feeling better,"_ the voice said and Martha waited till the feeling of dizziness started to fade before rolling herself into a crouched position and then getting on all fours before pushed herself back up. The sudden change caused her to feel dizzy for a minute before her head started to clear. The pounding headache that formed after she fell started to fade as she took in deep breaths to clear it.

When her vision was clear again, she turned in surprise towards the small platform that was on the wall nearest to the door. It was hard to see it because it was backed against some conduit piping but it was there.

"Um hello?" Martha said again as she slowly came closer.

" _Greetings and hello,"_ the voice replied having returned.

"Um...ok this is going to sound crazy but where are you?" Martha asked.

" _I am right here and I am all around you,"_ the voice replied much to Martha's annoyance.

"Oh ha, ha very funny guys! OK, I get it, you found a way to get the intercom working so you can pull pranks on someone. Well thanks to you fuckers, I probably got a small concussion," Martha replied, rubbing the spot where a bump could be felt.

" _I sensed no signs of concussion and your bio-metric readings are fine. You are perfectly healthy and unharmed,"_ The voice replied.

"Wait? Do you have this room bugged! Because if you do, you are violating the privacy policy stated in the procedures manual. I can turn you in to Dr. Alenkov for violating that part of my human rights!" Martha yelled as she circled around the room, hoping to find the culprit or the devices that is doing such a thing.

" _You will find no traces of any sort of listening devices in your room. My sensors merely pick up audio and video playback when in conversation with the person being spoken to. I again apologize if I am causing your any sort of discomfort. I am merely programmed to ensure that the crew of the Normandy are comfortable with their surroundings,"_ The voice replied again.

That is when Martha started to get suspicious, "Wait? Sensors? As in **bio-metric** sensors and readings?"

" _That is correct,"_ The voice replied.

Slowly, Martha went to pick up her chair and place it back where it was at her desk. Then, she walked towards the couch that was off to her right. The wraparound couch was just what she needed to sit down and think about things. As she sat, her mind began to start to piece things together.

"So let me get this straight: you sensed that I fell and knew that I was going to be fine. Even after I hit my head on the wall and saw stars?" she said.

" _That is correct,"_ was the reply.

"So why are you thanking me now for reactivating the ship? I get that you were probably not there when I first started it up but what the hell? I'm a bit confused," Martha said to the entity that was obviously talking to her.

" _I could not directly communicate to any of the crew members of this ship. For forty of your years, your kind has tried and failed to directly figure out the extent of the subconscious message I was trying to send them."_ was the reply. Martha's eyes went wide at the statement.

"Wait a minute! This has got to be a joke, right? Ha, ha guys, joke's on me, I get it! So you fuckers think that you can fool me, directly communicating with me on the subconscious level. Really! What a joke! OK, the joke is on me, guys, I get it. Come on Hilary, Ichigo, David! Come on guys, it's not funny!" Martha said, getting rather irritated.

" _I assure you it is not a joke Martha Kahalewai, born November 21, 1982 at Kapiolani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Solomon Kahalewai of Kaneohe O'ahu and Barbra Coelho of Moloka'i, graduated from Molokai High and Intermediate School in 2001,"_ the voice said and Martha's eyes narrowed.

"First off: anyone can access those records, it is public knowledge, dumbass, and second off: why are you spouting such information? I mean, if it is a means to annoy me, then I am annoyed," Martha replied, looking around at the room in front of her.

" _I did not mean to offend you in such a way, I was merely making a point that I am trying to make in regards to your data."_ the voice said.

"First off: why are you telling me this? And second off; why the sudden surprise... You know what, why am I even talking to you?" Martha asked.

" _You bio-metric readings indicated that you were bored and your temperature indicated lack of physical activity. However, I detected a large amount of static discharge coinciding with your biotic abilities. Perhaps you should touch the side with the pipes sticking out to relieve yourself of the buildup before you injure someone,"_ the voice replied.

Martha stood up from where she was sitting on the couch and made her way around the room. It was empty save for herself and whatever the voice was. She decided to walk towards the conduits, where she first saw the platform. Then, taking the voice's advice, she placed her hand on the conduit. When she did, she felt a shock leave her, causing her to jump back in surprise. Falling once again to the ground, she grumbled under her breath. At least she felt better now that the electricity was discharged.

"Thanks for the tip!" Martha said with some gratitude.

" _You're welcome, you should make it a habit to discharge once in a while. All biotics build up electricity when they use their powers. Normandy is built to withstand such discharges in deep space. So, if you feel the need to discharge your excess static feel free to use the conduits,"_ was the reply.

Martha then started to think a bit more clearly now that the shock wore off. As she thought about what the voice was telling her, things started to grow a bit more suspicious as she began to piece together the conversation. The familiarity of biotics was one thing, since most people on this ship were studying it. But not many knew how to deal with biotics that had problems. The voice seemed to know what Martha needed. As if able to think a lot more clearly, she suddenly had a hunch, but she was not so sure about the voice. A stray thought seemed to suddenly make an appearance, as an earlier part of the conversation took place. Wanting to test her theory she asked the next question.

"When you were speaking to me earlier you mentioned subconscious messaging. Do you mean dreams?" she said.

" _When in a particular state of emergency, I had been deactivated for safety reasons. It is not for the safety of the crew, but my own. The systems required to run the ship coincide with me, for I control much of the ship's main systems. I also control the ship's communications, weapons, life support and cyber-defensive systems. When an emergency happens and I have been deactivated, the ship's backup computer picks up where I have been and guide the Normandy to a safe landing zone. There emergency repairs can take place and critical systems can be restored by either repair drones or by the engineering department. However, upon my landing on your planet, there had been no signs of the crew, as they had long since vanished. I have been here at the bottom of the ocean since,"_ was the reply from the voice.

Martha's eyes widened in surprise and her hands began to shake at the revelation that she just discovered. She then looked towards the small platform where she saw the small orb of light just before she fell.

"You're, you're…." she stuttered.

" _My sensors indicate a large spike in stress, are you alright?"_ the voice asked.

"Holy….mother…," Martha could not think at all, as she sat back down on the couch. Her breathing increased rapidly as she held her hand to her heart.

" _Should I call for medical assistance? Your heart rate has increased by 30 percent."_ the voice said.

"No...no...I'm just surprised that is all, just give me a moment to collect my thoughts," Martha replied as she tried to calm herself at her state of panic. Her mind went through a thousand thoughts all at once. It was overwhelming to think about it, but then, as she thought more and more, it all started to make sense. Her breathing began to slow as her anxiety began to leave her and then, when her mind had calmed down enough from its initial panic, she then began to speak.

"Um….are you…..are you an artificial intelligence?" she finally asked, her voice shaking with nervousness as she asked the question that has finally started to plague her mind.

" _I am known as the Enhanced Defense Intelligence. I operate the Normandy's primary systems as I stated earlier. Your crew members have taken to calling me EDI,"_ was the reply.

Martha shakily repeated the name, "EDI, wow...I never would have thought…." her voice trailed away from her as her mind suddenly started thinking about the possibilities that ranged through it. And then another statement she remembered earlier, "Wait! You...it was _you_ that was trying to speak to me through my dreams!" she said.

" _The subconscious is a powerful information network. You can place and displace information with ease. However, it only works if the mind is able to receive it. Humans don't have that ability naturally, unless their minds are different, like yours. Your mental disability and your artistic nature made you the perfect candidate to hear my message. Your subconscious can be controlled by your conscious mind, and therefore, you are the best at interpreting the message I was trying to say,"_ EDI replied.

"Wow," Martha said her mind, switching from fear to curiosity as she thought about it. It made sense, seeing as artists and gamers have the ability to interpret dreams and visions and place them on a canvas of sorts. It helps them to identify the subconscious image they are trying to show people. So, as she thought about it, another question came to mind.

"EDI what about the people who went crazy from the dreams? Why did they go crazy?" Martha asked.

" _As I stated earlier, the human mind can't handle the amount of information that I was trying to pass to them. The images would come out as unclear and the amount of information being process is not enough for me to pass on the message. Most human minds don't think about interpreting the images that have been passed to them. Their subconscious erases them upon waking, or the interpretation becomes construed leading to nightmares and a degradation of their mental state."_ EDI replied.

"But then, how am I able to interpret the dreams and solve the riddle? Does it have something to do with how I was healed?" Martha asked.

" _No, your subconscious is different in that it processes information a lot differently to that of a normal person. You're artistic and that has allowed your brain to remember the images that were being sent to your subconscious memories. Your Attention Deficit Disorder also plays a role as it forces your brain to work at much faster levels of activity than a normal human being. Being that your brain processes information at a much faster rate than normal – which for humans, is unusual – then it was able to interpret and decipher the subconscious messaging as it happens. However, it takes a bit of time for your brain to fully process how my systems operate and therefore, it took time for it to adapt and align with the subliminal messaging."_ EDI replied.

"OK, let me get this straight, the dreams are subliminal messaging," Martha asked, her mind trying to process what she was being told by a computer. The sheer thought of her mind going into overdrive because of dreams had her thinking quite a bit. There was silence on EDI's end of the conversation.

"OK, let me make this a bit more clear then. Were you trying to control me the few times I fainted? I mean I spoke to you once and you gave me the riddle. Then, when I solved the riddle, you had basically frozen me in place and tore apart my brain, care to explain that? Or is that part of your 'subliminal messaging,'" Martha asked, this time remembering to keep the sentencing simple.

" _To clarify what you are asking, are you suggesting that I have intentionally caused your bodily functions to cease operation during the data transfer?"_ EDI asked Martha her voice sounding curious.

"To put it lightly; yeah," Martha replied as she leaned back on the couch to adjust her back.

" _I apologize for such discomfort, I had not realize that the amount of data I needed to translate your language and adjust Normandy's life support systems to the human physiology would cause such distress. It is against my programming to cause harm to anyone onboard this ship that has no ill intent. My first priority as the ship's artificial intelligence is to ensure the safety and comfort of the crew, you included,"_ EDI said sounding remorseful.

"Hey, don't be sad, you didn't mean it!" Martha said in alarm, realizing that she had just caused EDI some distress. Given that the artificial intelligence is capable of such things. She stood up from her seating position on the couch. She looked around, trying to see if she could spot anything that could help her see EDI.

It was then that a holographic image appeared on the coffee table. Right where the floating orb was was another image of a holographic floating orb. It looked like something out of a chess game, a pawn of sorts, with a ring floating around the base.

" _I didn't mean to cause such alarm! I was only trying to process the human biological information that came directly from your omni-tool. Had I realized it sooner, I would have adjusted the settings and things would have been easier and cause you less harm,"_ EDI replied.

"How could you have known? You were deactivated at the time?" Martha said to the orb, a little perturbed by the moving line in the middle when EDI speaks. Then she remembered what EDI said earlier about her device.

"Um, wait! You said you gathered the information about humans from this?" she said holding up her left arm, the alien device lighting up in front of EDI.

" _Yes, your omni-tool allows me to directly communicate with you from anywhere on the planet. It is – among other things – a communications device that is directly linked to my systems. It allows you to repair and perform necessary functions to the ship, and allows you to have access to data that normal human devices can't access,"_ EDI replied.

Martha's eyes were wide in shock. The alien device, no wait, **omni-tool** glowed in front of her in full display. She even mentally commanded it to reveal the blade that was in it. The blade came out as it did, but it also lengthened into a sword and then back into a short blade.

"Um, so I take it is also a defensive weapon as well," Martha asked.

" _That is correct, it is also a first aid device, should there be a need for it,"_ EDI replied.

Martha thought about her death and the device saving her life for the first time. She remembered Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy mentioning a blue liquid that pumped into her body from the device and how it regenerated her cells. She was shaking in her legs and was forced to sit down again in front of the blue hologram. Her breathing was rapid as she tried to process what was being said to her. Her hand started to shake as she realized that she was starting to freak out. So she laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

" _Is everything alright, your heart rate is climbing?"_ EDI asked.

"No, no just having a bit of a panic attack from all this new information that is all," Martha replied to EDI as she looked at her device. The artificial intelligence was silent for a bit before a question came from it.

" _I've read your medical reports, Martha. It showed that the device released blue liquid into your body, is that correct?"_

"Yeah, that is what they said, though, I was dead at the time so I wouldn't know," Martha replied her eyebrow was raised as a sign of curiosity.

" _The omni-tool functions as both a communications device and a defensive weapon. However, yours administered emergency aid when you were already dead, so that means you have a pathfinder service omni-tool,"_ EDI replied.

"Wow, thanks I guess for that," Martha said to her.

" _It was my pleasure, I also have reading material that I have gathered for you to use to get better familiarity with the omni-tool's functions. It seems you use it quite a bit, and I thought perhaps you could learn more about it,"_ EDI replied.

Martha looked down at her alien...no, wait, **omni-tool**. It glowed as it told her of an incoming email, along with messages from various sources. Most notably from Aaron.

"EDI, you said that you are able to communicate with the outside. Does this mean that we can all talk to our families right now, to tell them that we are alive and well?" Martha said.

" _That is correct,"_ EDI replied.

"Does everyone else know?" she asked.

" _That is an affirmative,"_ EDI replied.

Smiling at the revelation, Martha rushed up from where she was and raced towards her laptop terminal on the desk. EDI's holographic image vanished as soon as Martha stood up, allowing her to finally get the chance to speak to Aaron again. She quickly booted up the screen and once she saw the wifi icon flashing as **connected,** she immediately began to type an email to her boyfriend as well as leave messages on Facebook.

ENGINE ROOM

Dr. Jackson watched as repairs were done to the main fusion reactor. His thoughts were a jumbled mix as he watched the machines that EDI activated to fix the engines. On one hand, he wanted to go home to his family back in South Africa. On the other, staying with the greatest discovery known to man. He was conflicted as he waited through the seven hours it took to repair the main engines.

" _Repairs to the main fusion reactor are nearly complete. I have run numerous diagnostics and so far, everything is ready for the conversion,"_ EDI's voice could be heard over the loudspeakers. Dr. Jackson nodded his head in understanding. He and the newly awakened artificial intelligence had been making leaps and bounds about Normandy's systems and energy outputs. He would not be surprised if the ship suddenly decided to kill them after reactivation.

" _You seem troubled, Dr. Jackson,"_ EDI said to him.

"I'm just worried that something was going to happen and nothing works," he said. In truth, that was the main reason. The second part was that he had just talked to his wife whom he hadn't spoken to since the power was cut. He was glad to know that she was still worrying for him. His only child, a boy of fifteen, was also sitting on the couch, waiting for him to come home to them. It was a joyous moment in his life to finally speak to them again.

But for now, as his mind shifted back to the present, more pressing matter took residence. Such as the restarting of the fusion reactor.

"So how much more till the first testing can begin?" he asked EDI.

" _My calculations estimate another two and a half of your hours until we can begin testing,"_ EDI replied.

"So the cooling systems of the Normandy... how delicate are they?" he asked her.

" _Getting the damage to repair itself takes time, Dr. Jackson. The amount of damage from both time derogation and structural damage from the heat sink explosion caused some significant cracks and lesions along the coolant lines. It also damaged the reactor itself. Should we attempt to switch to the main power too soon, the slightest crack could destroy this ship and everyone onboard,"_ EDI replied.

Shocked, Dr. Jackson pressed onward, "So if the reactor has any sort of damage, without proper repairs, it could basically kill us?" he said.

" _That is correct,"_ EDI then showed a holographic map of the ship and the reactor. She then showed an image of the damages on the ship and how much the repair drones are working to fix the problem. She highlighted the areas where the explosion took place and where the cracks had been recently repaired. Whistling, Dr. Jackson saw the drones moving at phenomenal speed, trying to repair the damages done to the Normandy, and the cost of resources used to repair it.

"You said that the damage would be repaired in two hours. How is that possible with _that_ amount of damage?" Dr. Jackson asked.

" _I am attempting to repair the reactor first, as well as the main coolant lines. Once those are fully repaired, we can make the complete conversion to the main fusion power. The mass effect fields, once activated, would enable the reactor and the occupants in the engineering deck to be protected from the radiation. For now, the room you are in is safe because the auxiliary power is providing that mass effect field, which is protecting you from the element zero's radiation."_ EDI replied to his comment.

Dr. Jackson had walked over to the edge of the platform that overlooks the massive pedestal that held up the fusion reactor. In his mind, such a large spherical object should not have existed today. But here it is, right in front of him. Something that they are only now just scratching the surface of discovering. And the glowing field around it was what was protecting them from the forces that create such energy.

"How much energy is made from this fusion reactor alone?" he asked EDI out of curiosity.

" _Enough to power the entire planet,"_ EDI replied. That got Dr. Jackson to whistle, "Are you sure?" he asked, wanting a confirmation of the information that was given to him.

" _I am positive of the results, Dr. Jackson. The Normandy needs quite a bit of power in order to achieve faster than light travel,"_ EDI replied, and that is what had Dr. Jackson nearly tripping on himself when he started to walk back towards the people there. When she said that all heads turned up at the words that were spoken by EDI.

"Did she just say faster then light travel?" asked one of the assistants.

"I think she did," Dr. Jackson croaked, his voice cracking as he said it.

"Holy Mother of God! It's just like in the movies!" another assistant said, a young man from the looks of it in his early twenties. He was a medium bone structure with sags down his arms, showing that he was once of medium build, before starvation erased all of his body fat. What muscle was left on his body left him looking like a skeleton of himself. Dr. Jackson was surprised that he was able to survive this long and still keep moving. Some of those in the late stages of starvation were in the medical ward with Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy. He pitied them, when they have to go through some major changes in the days to come.

DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE

"Are you sure this roster is good for the crew?" asked Dr. Zenger as he leaned back against the chair. He was reading through the roster that both Dr. Alenkov and EDI came up with, based on the crew members' skills and occupations. There were a few, however, that were not listed, as no one seems to figure out a place for them yet. But still, Dr. Alenkov and Dr. Zenger were looking and double checking the roster for who would be a working crew member.

"So we have several people who are unaccounted for on the crew roster. What will we do about them?" Dr. Alenkov asked Dr. Zenger.

"I think we should look into detail about what needs to be filled. Remember, we are still looking for maintenance crews that are for the more janitorial aspect of the ship. Perhaps some of them would be willing to volunteer. Or maybe help with the medical ward, that could be an asset." Dr. Zenger replied, looking at them more thoroughly.

Dr. Alenkov sighed as she looked down at the roster. Some of the names that were not listed were some of the volunteer subjects. Given their previous occupations, they could see why they weren't chosen as crew members. Dr. Alenkov sighed as she put the tablet down and nodded to Dr. Zenger, "This will have to do. We will post this up in the main mess hall," she said.

With that, Dr. Zenger changed the subject after they changed the roster. His demeanor was also that of one who is very tired from a long day at work. He pulled up one of his reports and passed it on to Dr. Alenkov and as she read through them, she sighed.

"We need to leave soon, this is getting out of hand," she said reading it.

"Three fights that had to be broken up by security, two in engineering and one on the bridge. Another started in the hangar where, luckily, they can't open the door, and four suicide attempts. We are trying to hold on as best we can, Dr. Alenkov, but how long before we are all going insane?" he said.

"Have they been dealt with?" she asked.

"Luckily, this ship has a brig where they keep prisoners, I guess, so they were put in there until further notice. We are in desperate need of food and many are considering cannibalism to stave off the hunger. But it is only so long before we succumb to it as well," Dr. Zenger replied.

"How many died in recent events?" she asked.

"Only one: Mathias Lacy, a man from the U.K. who had diabetes. I was surprised that he hadn't succumbed sooner, but then I realized that the man had kept a supply of emergency glucose in his room. He had just enough to last, but only three days ago had run out of glucose and died as a result of it. Another person, a woman, was also diagnosed, but luckily for her, she has enough to last for about two more days," Dr. Zenger replied.

"Two more days until we are faced with another death? Things are breaking down, Doctor, and we need to wait until the drones are finished with repairs. Hopefully the crew roster will put most of them at ease with something to do and, hopefully, when the repairs are done, get out of this muck." Dr. Alenkov said, her voice sounding exhausted.

"I hope so, Elenna, for your sake as well as ours. The governments will hear about this once we get to the surface. From what I understood from the recently reopened communication lines, the New Zealanders are trying to get new subs to us, but have been sabotaged the entire way. From explosions to lack of resources, it's as if someone is trying to destroy any means of getting us food and water and hoping we die before anything happens," he said.

"I only know one person who is responsible for this: Alexandria Wilcox. The woman may be on the run but she has enough resources to ruin any attempts of getting us back to the surface. That woman is dangerous, and if I had to guess, she is trying to cover up her tracks with killing us all off. By cutting off our supplies, she is making it a lot easier for her to sweep up the trash and collect on the stolen goods. I would not be surprised if she was the one who ordered the abduction of the Odyssey," Dr. Alenkov said.

"I won't put it past her, the woman is ruthless, after all, but she has not been seen or heard from since the F.B.I. and Interpol were sent to investigate her whereabouts," Dr. Zenger said from his chair.

" _Perhaps I can be of assistance,"_ EDI said over the loudspeakers.

"How so?" asked Dr. Alenkov. She still felt unease about the A.I., but if EDI can break into government firewalls, she can certainly find one woman.

" _I am able to tap into your satellite surveillance feeds as well as your communication satellites. This has allowed me to track and monitor your species for quite a while. That was how I learned how to translate all 7,000 languages spoken on your planet and read every known ancient language and text into proper translation,"_ EDI replied.

Dr. Alenkov was intrigued by such clarity. The detail that EDI described would have taken an ordinary person many years to fully translate. It was nearly impossible to decipher that many languages in that short amount of time. But as her mind began to wander, she turned again to the blue orb, her mind suddenly curious.

"EDI do you even know how to track Alexandria?" she asked.

" _As I stated before I am able to track down her whereabouts from anywhere on the planet. All you need to do is give the order and it will be done,"_ EDI replied.

"Do you think we can do it Dr. Alenkov?" Dr. Zenger asked.

"Do it," Dr. Alenkov stated and EDI disappeared, leaving her alone once again with Dr. Zenger.

"How long do you think she would take?" he asked.

"Not long. Remember, she is the most advance computer system in the world. We have only just scratched the surface of what the Alien Technology could offer us," Dr. Alenkov replied.

"I sure hope we find the bitch. I would not mind making her pay for the deaths of all those in the E.Z.C." said Dr. Zenger.

"I hope so…." Suddenly, the radios went off with a voice on the other end.

" _ **Dr. Alenkov we are ready to begin testing the fusion reactor,"**_ said the voice of Dr. Jackson.

Dr. Alenkov quickly grabbed the walkie talkie from the side of her desk. It was only within the last hour that radio communications has been restored throughout the ship. And frankly, she was just glad she didn't have to write another short ranged message.

"Are the repairs complete?" she asked.

" _ **Repairs to the main fusion reactor have been completed. We just need to test the reactor so see if it works before we convert power over, Dr. Alenkov,"**_ Dr. Jackson replied.

"EDI?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

" _Dr. Jackson is correct in that repairs have been completed. We need to do initial testing before we can fully convert the power systems to the main drive,"_ EDI replied.

Dr. Alenkov was relieved to see that they are just a step closer to getting off the sea floor. All they need is to make sure the main battery is working before final departure. She turned to Dr. Zenger, "If we are successful, we can finally go home."

"I know that, Doctor, but do remember that when Normandy breaks the surface, it will change everything," he said. That brought Dr. Alenkov off from her high of hope back down to the bottom of the ocean. She knows why the Odyssey was stolen and who had done it, but she also had to remember that the reason why this ship was being shared by all nations is that Normandy was a symbol of unity at the bottom of the sea. Once she is at the surface, she knew that nations would fight to have her in their custody. But one thing is for sure: they are in for a surprise when EDI reveals herself to be an independent entity.

"I am well aware of the consequences, Dr. Zenger, and what it will hold. However, I do have to ensure the safety and security of the people onboard this ship. That is my priority, and when the time comes, I will think about the consequences. We are Normandy's crew now and so we must do what we can to ensure that safety above all else." she said and Dr. Zenger nodded his approval, "Don't forget that the people onboard this ship are your responsibility as well as the consequences of what is to come." With that, he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Dr. Alenkov to herself.

She looked out the now exposed window into the mud of the ocean bottom. The ship itself was half buried in the silt, so getting out of here would take a lot of effort on their part. But she had confidence the crew was ready.

They had to be.

ENGINEERING ROOM

"Alright, is everything set?" Dr. Jackson asked his crew.

"Everything is ready, Dr. Jackson, on your command," said one of the junior members of his team; a young woman from the Philippines in her mid- to late twenties. She was speaking with a thick Tagalog accent as she read the charts on her holographic display.

"Alright, how are power readings from the core?" he asked another assistant, a male from China.

"Everything looks normal, sir, no signs of life yet," he said, his Cantonese accent slightly evident.

"EDI?" Dr. Jackson asked.

" _All systems are within normal parameters,"_ she said.

"Good. Begin testing," he said.

The first assistant began to push holographic buttons on her display. As they were being pushed, a slight humming noise was being displayed from the core. The mass effect field that protected them from the radiation of the core lit up slightly.

" _All readings are normal,"_ EDI said from her terminal.

"She's right, Doctor Jackson, everything is normal!" the second assistant said.

Dr. Jackson quickly rushed towards the side where the readings were monitoring the output of fusion power. Everything read normal on their readings.

"Alright, shut it down and we will run several more tests to make sure everything is secure before making the conversion. I will notify Dr. Alenkov of the first test results. We will convene in two hours and then extend it from there, is that alright with you EDI?" he asked.

" _Affirmative Dr. Jackson,"_ was the reply.

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII

Aaron was awoken from his afternoon nap by the sound of the phone ringing. His parents were currently out of the house at the grocery store, so he was left at home with the dog. Getting up to the sound of the dog barking, he made his way to the phone on his desk. The caller I.D. was blurry to his sleepy eyes, but the name on it was what instantly screeched his brain to a halt.

The caller I.D. said **Martha Kahalewai**. Picking up the phone before the answering machine went on, he asked with a hesitant voice: "Martha?"

" _Aaron?"_ Martha's voice said from the other end. From the sounds of it, it was cracked harsh, as if she was crying. But Aaron definitely knew the sound of her rough voice.

"Oh my God, Martha, is that you?" he asked, his voice started to crack up as he too was preparing to cry. He could hear her sniffling on the other end as she was crying herself before she answered, _"Yes, it's me, oh my God, it is so good to hear your voice,"_ she said.

Aaron had felt the tears in his eyes when he heard her and he too started to tear up, "Oh Mart it is so good to hear from you again. I thought the facebook post you made was a joke," he said.

" _No, no it was me we, just gotten communications back online and the power going again,"_ Martha replied.

"What is going on down there, Martha? I know that everything is so hush hush right now, but the _Odyssey_ 's abduction is still all over the news." he said to her as he listened to her crying on the other side.

" _I did it,"_ she said. He could hear her smiling on the other side.

"You did what? What did you do?" he asked curiously as Martha laughed before coughing and explaining everything to him. Aaron was at first shocked and then angry and then bewildered towards the end. When she was finished telling her story Aaron could not believe his ears.

"So let me get this straight: there is a real life artificial intelligence onboard the ship?" he asked.

" _I can hear your call, Mr. Stene. I monitor all calls going in an out of the ship for any signs of foul play,"_ said a voice.

"Um, Martha? Who is that?" Aaron asked and Martha giggled from the other side.

" _That is EDI, she is the artificial intelligence,"_ Martha replied happily. Aaron nearly spat out his food at that declaration. A real live artificial intelligence was a shock and a concern for Aaron.

"Are you sure she is safe?" Aaron asked.

" _Yeah, she's safe. EDI is programmed to protect the crew of the Normandy, she won't kill us. To her, killing meaninglessly is unproductive and rather stupid, her words not mine,"_ Martha replied on the other end.

Aaron nearly laughed at the sound of that. After all, it sounded rather ironic that something he just saw in the movies would be listening to his conversation with his long distance girlfriend. He was so distracted that he failed to hear the door open while Martha was explaining the situation to him. He even failed to see the people walking around the hallways or the dog disappearing in a happy trot towards the living room. He never knew the smell of something cooking all he was focused on was speaking to Martha.

"Aaron dinner is ready!" a voice called from the hallway. Aaron quickly snapped out of his trance and turned to the sound of the voice, "I will be right there ma!"

" _Was that your mother calling?"_ Martha asked.

"Yeah, it's time for dinner I never realized that they came home. Look at the time I have to start getting ready for work," Aaron replied. He could hear sniffling in the background, meaning that Martha knew this conversation was about to end.

" _When we finally get this ship running again, I will come home. I promise,"_ she said between sobs.

"I know," Aaron whispered.

"AARON!," the voice of his mother called again.

"Coming!" he yelled out the door. Before turning back to the phone. "I have to go, just know that I love you. When will I hear you again?" Aaron asked between sobs.

" _Probably not till we get this ship running, though I can still email you. EDI told me that it shouldn't affect emails,"_ Martha replied. Aaron could feel the tears in his eyes as he wiped them away with his hand.

"I love you," he said on the other end.

" _I love you too."_ With that, the line went dead and Aaron was left holding the phone with a shaky hand. He put it on the holder as the tears came to him, before walking to the bathroom to wash his face and tell his parents the good news. But one thing was for sure: he was overjoyed that Martha was still alive and well. He wanted to shout to the world and he also wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all. He prayed to God and Jesus out there that Martha would come home to him. That is all he wanted: right at this moment in time, all he wanted was to see her face again. He felt another set of tears threaten to fall, but he quickly washed his face again. Then he walked out of the bathroom to face his parents and to get something to eat before heading off to work.

NORMANDY

Martha looked at the alien device on her arm. The conversation ended and the device quickly faded to nothing. "Thank you EDI," she whispered to the artificial intelligence.

" _It was the least I could do, now that I am fully integrated with your communication systems. At least you can communicate better with your loved ones,"_ EDI said to her.

"I know, thank you," Martha replied as she herself went to the bathroom to take a shower. As she did, she could not help but think of what might had happened had she not been able to finally talk to Aaron. She could just imagine that he might have become a real mess. It was hard not to think about it, as well as the rest of her family that she had emailed and called. But Aaron had been the last person to talk to. She wanted to cry herself into a stupor, but that ended long ago.

As she got out of the shower and put on some clean clothes, thanks to the newly operational washing machines, Martha made her way towards the elevator that would take her down towards the Mess Hall for some card games. It seems that in order to pass the time, the others insisted on playing card games to keep things going. She already did her required amount of exercise and was now wanting some fun time to take time away from thinking about home.

 _Soon,_ she thought, knowing that soon they would be able to go home.

When she got off the elevator, she saw several people already there, with the cards set up. The chips were ready and many of them were sitting there, talking. Among them was Dr. Kimber, surprisingly, and Hilary. Most of the time is was mainly Martha, Ichigo, David, and Lucas who were playing. Jessica was busy with helping Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy and Hilary was usually at her station up above. It was surprising to see them all together. Once Martha sat down and the cards were dealt, she was just enjoying the fact that she was playing with friends.

"So when is the power conversion supposed to occur?" asked Ichigo to Dr. Kimber as he put down a few chips.

"In about twenty minutes. Dr. Jackson said that there is going to be a total shut down of all systems, including EDI. So that means, if anything happens, we are on our own," she said and everyone grumbled softly to themselves. Martha managed to pick up on it as she looked at her card deck and cursed.

"Shit, my hand sucks!" she said and slapped it down on the table. The others laughed when they showed their hands and it was Lucas who smiled brightest.

"Ha!" he called out and revealed his hand; a straight flush, which made everyone glare at him. Just as he started to collect his money, the intercom went off over their heads.

" _All personnel, please be sure to be out of the elevators at this time, or anywhere that is currently running on power. So, if you are in the elevators or near any communication terminals, I suggest you finish what you are saying now and shut down your computers. We will begin power conversion in five minutes,"_ was what Dr. Jackson said.

"Wow, I thought you said twenty minutes, Doc?" said David as he put down his hand.

"I did say twenty, I guess I was wrong," Dr. Kimber replied. The others laughed as she said this and hurried to finish their card game.

ENGINE ROOM

"Alright, is everything ready?" Dr. Jackson asked the people in the room. His nervousness was at an all-time high. At this moment in time everything must be ready; if they were to survive and get off the ocean floor, they had to have everything working properly.

"All systems are green, Dr. Jackson, and ready for conversion," said the first assistant.

"Energy readings are normal," said the second.

" _All noncritical systems have been shut down. All personnel has left the elevators and all communications devices are shut down,"_ EDI said over the intercom.

"EDI, do you really have to shut down as well?" Dr. Jackson asked.

" _I have to shut down during the duration of the conversion to prevent a full-scale short circuit. So yes, I do have to shut down,"_ EDI replied from her terminal. Nodding in understanding, Dr. Jackson turned and gave the signal to the others. Before activating his own terminal, he made the announcement.

"Attention, all Normandy Personnel: we are beginning conversion to the main fusion drive. As a reminder: all personnel must not be in the elevator at this time. All communications are to be terminated and all reports are to be saved for the duration of this conversion." Dr. Jackson said and waited for a few minutes to give people time to get out of the elevators.

" _All personnel are ready, Dr. Jackson,"_ EDI said.

"Alright, beginning conversion, begin shut down of H3 Auxiliary Fuel Cells," he said to the first assistant.

She began to type on the holographic display in front of her, working her way towards the fuel cells, "Beginning shut down of fuel cells one through six now," she said and as she did, lights began to power down, leaving certain areas dark.

"H-3 Fuel Cells one through six shut down, sir," she said.

"Beginning shutdown of fuel cells seven through twelve now," said the second assistant as he shut them down one by one. As he did so, the rest of the engine room shut down into nothing but black. This left them once again in the dark. It quickly started to get cold again, as the life support systems had also been shut down due to the complete power conversion. So now everyone would probably be freezing.

"Alright, is everything shut down and cooled off?" he asked.

"All fuel cells and auxiliary power is shut down Dr. Jackson," said the first assistant. Dr. Jackson took a deep breath as he inhaled the icy air around him. Forcing himself to calm down, he turned towards his panel in front of him. He looked at the only holographic display in front of him, and in it, the countdown going on the display before they could begin reactivation of the main systems. _Two minutes till I can begin reactivation,_ he thought.

MESS HALL

Martha sat there at the table with the rest of the crew, waiting for Dr. Jackson to turn the power back on. They had all waited for this day, when they could fully reactivate the ship to its full power. But first, in order to do so, they had been told that once the power was shut off it would take about two minutes for the fuel cells to cool before they could activate the fusion reactor. That way, when power is converged and converted, there will be a seamless transition. If the fuel cells were overheated or heated up in any way before the main drive is activated, there is a chance that something can go wrong.

So the wait began as she and the others were sitting there in their parkas. Martha was smart enough to bring hers and the others also joined her from their rooms in their warm clothes. Those trapped in the rooms when the doors closed were to stay there till the power came back on.

"It is just as fucking cold as it was the first time around," said Jessica who came to join them.

"Yeah, it is still as cold," said Hilary who waited with Ichigo.

Martha remained silent as she prayed for the conversion to be smooth. The device next to her glowed slightly, as if reading her thoughts. Her hands shook as she looked down and waited as the countdown went off.

ENGINE ROOM

"Alright, I am beginning to warm up the engine, and start the conversion to full power," Dr. Jackson said.

He then started pushing holographic buttons as they began to glow. EDI was silent due to the power outage, but he remembered the A.I.'s instructions on how to turn the power back on. Slowly, but surely, he started to reactivate the power on the ship. He could hear the hum of the main fusion reactor beginning to warm up as fusion began to take place. Just as he started, the engine room began to light up as the reactor began its conversion of fusion energy.

As it did so, he started to push other buttons, activating the cooling vents that sent coolant to the reactor. This, he monitored on the panel to make sure the readings were correct. "So far, so good," he said to his team. It was so quiet in the room that he was sure that his two assistants heard him. As he typed in the commands, the rumble of power being converted started to take form.

"Alright, I am activating main fusion reactor now," he said and pushed buttons along the panel switching from auxiliary to main. As he did so, nothing happened at first and they remained in the dark.

"Um, Dr. Jackson, nothing is happening," said the second assistant.

Dr. Jackson waited, but it was just as he was about to start having doubts that the reactor started giving signs of life. At first, he thought that it might explode, but then it just started to glow as the ship's engine room lit up from the reactor core itself. The rumbling from the reactor alerted them to what was happening around them.

"What is going on?" asked the first assistant.

Just as she said that, there was a large jolt that was felt in the room, before the core rumbled safely. Looking down at the panel Dr. Jackson saw to his relief that the systems began to turn slowly one by one from _standby_ to _online_. Critical systems began to converge from _auxiliary_ to _main_. Thrilled that it worked, the sounds of the fusion reactor reached his ears as lights began to turn on one by one.

"Holy shit, we did it!" said the first assistant.

"Check the power readings; how are they!?" Dr. Jackson said to them, his excitement building as the engine room's lights all came back online.

"Everything is coming back online: life support, navigation, engineering, even the medical ward, it's everywhere!" the first assistant said with excitement. The hum of the reactor as well as the hum of the main drives themselves started coming back online.

"Do one more reading before I make the announcement," he said.

"All systems are green Dr. Jackson, Normandy is back online," he said.

"Attention, personnel: power conversion complete; Normandy is back online and at full power," he said and he was met with cheering on all channels.

DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE

Dr. Alenkov stood, looking outside when the lights came back online in her office. As she watched her computer and everything else come back online, she grabbed her walkie talkie, "Dr. Jackson are all systems online?" she asked.

" _All systems are back online and are running on main power now, Dr. Alenkov,"_ he said from his end.

Dr. Alenkov smiled for the first time in a long time. Renewed hope had finally returned to the crew of the Normandy as she slowly placed the walkie talkie back down. Tears began to form in her eyes as joy filled her heart.

" _Dr. Alenkov, are you alright?"_ EDI's voice came back online.

"I am fine EDI, I am just glad that we are closer to getting back to the surface," she said.

" _Dr. Alenkov the engines are fully repaired and ready to begin phase two."_ said Dr. Jackson.

"I will make the announcement. Until then, begin preparations," she said, her voice even as she said this, though there was some cracking to betray her true emotions.

" _Understood."_ With that, Dr. Jackson logged out of his walkie, leaving it silent for Dr. Alenkov to listen to. Slowly, she placed it down on the desk. She was so overjoyed as she tried to compose herself that she was just glad that it would be over soon.

"Ivan, I am coming home," she said.

TBC

 **a/n: Wow! That was something finally we are getting closer to getting off the sea floor. As you could guess this is a new chapter written by scratch and not a rewrite of a previous chapter. The reason for this is because when I first wrote this story there was no intermediary between meeting EDI and reactivating the ship. It was just a cut and paste sort of deal. Well this time I am taking my time and lengthening the scenes out so you get an idea of what is going on in terms of character feelings and what is the atmosphere of the story. I also took some time to research more into Normandy's systems and functions per deck so that way people can get more engaged without the large techno jargon mixed in. Stories with a lot of technical detail but too much jargon tend to bore me quickly because things go way over my head. This way people can get more engage with the terms that these people are thinking of. Well the dumb down version of it.**

 **As for activating EDI at least you get a full fledged reaction that is actually realistic in terms of what people think when they meet an A.I. the interactions between characters is fun to write and it also mirrors what people tend to feel when someone is watching them constantly. As for the power conversion scene that part was inspired by Stargate Universe in the episode called 'Light,' I was listening to the soundtrack from the series when the thought came to me.**

 **So there you have it folks chapter 14 Activation of an Artificial Intelligence. Please remember to leave a review and no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, OR FLAMES PLEASE any more bad reviews that don't make sense and full on degrades me or the story will be reported to 's administration as well as have the review deleted.**

 **Anyhow aloha and thanks for reading!**


	16. The Rise to Freedom

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Alright people sorry about the delay but it has been hectic for both me and my beta. Both of us work hectic jobs and it did not help that I recently had surgery and gotten strep throat so it has been quite eventful for these past few weeks. And also things with the bad reviewer didn't help as well. I also have Warriors of Winterfell to keep up with as well as this story. So it has been a busy few weeks for me. On the plus note I am nearly done with my art project that has taken nearly TWO YEARS! To finish so my clients should be happy.**

 **But I am getting side tracked and I will make this brief. I like to thank all the people out there who faved and followed this story so far your reviews and your thoughts help me a lot to keep going. And to my ever so awesome beta you are the best and I wish you luck with your hectic life. And to my readers please remember to leave a review after the story and no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS OR BASHINGS PLEASE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ONLY! No derogatory comments will be allowed. Anything derogatory will be removed and reported to administration. Thank you and on with the story.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 13: The Rise to Freedom!**

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Tao-Yun found himself surrounded on all sides. They had not anticipated reinforcements from the continent to come and block them off from their destination. Already, the naval vessels from Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia had decided to volunteer their forces to help block off the _Odyssey_ from making landfall. The U.S., China, Japan, South Korea and now, Australia, had joined in taking back the smaller research vessel. The only thing preventing them from taking the ship by force was the alien tech that Tao-Yun's men had been using to keep them at bay. As well as the daily killings of the hostages they deemed 'non-critical,' meaning they are not scientists or crew members needed to secure the equipment.

The food supply had been cut off three days ago. But luckily for them, they had just refueled and resupplied, so they should not have to worry about any more mishaps. But with them being now completely surrounded, Tao-Yun found himself in a bind. His men were getting paranoid with weapons ready to fire on any vessel. They had already sunk at least ten ships with the amount of firepower they had. The clips they brought with them also added to the damage they could do to ships, and even to the submarines that tried to get within distance of the _Odyssey_. They even crashed several planes that tried to bomb them from the air. But even then it was taking its toll on them all.

Tao-Yun had thought to himself that if he and his men weren't getting paid a hefty sum of money, they would have abandoned this ship long ago. But seeing as they are getting paid in the billions, well...he would make a stand here if that is what it takes to get paid.

" _Sir, what are we going to do?"_ asked one of his lieutenants as he came up to Tao-Yun, a clipboard in his hand. Judging from the writing, he was doing a count of the supplies that they had received from their last trade off with their suppliers.

" _How much food and provisions do we have available?"_ he asked.

The man sighed, _"We have enough to last us for a good four months. We overstocked just for this purpose and the extra fuel barrels we brought onboard should help us in the long run. But sir the men are worried. Is the billions promised to us worth all this?"_ he asked. His face showed his fear as he and several others in the background listened in on the conversation.

Tao-Yun smiled as he put his hand on the man's shoulder, _"It is enough to set your children for life! 400 billion dollars is more than enough to make us no longer have to work for our money. We would be kings for life! So it is worth fighting for,"_ he said to the man before him. The man nodded his thanks as he took a deep breath, calming his nerves. Tao-Yun turned towards the others in the back; they all stood up straighter as they heard this. All of them had come from poor families across Asia. Torn by war and famine, they wanted nothing more than to gain enough money so that their families no longer had to struggle for basic essentials.

With his resolve restored, the man handed the clipboard to Tao-Yun, _"I've also done a count of the crew members like you requested sir,"_ he said.

Nodding his approval, Tao-Yun waved off the lieutenant, who walked off to perform his other duties on the ship. Tao-Yun looked towards the distant horizon, seeing the many ships that he had become accustomed to. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Taking his lighter, he lit it, taking a long drag. Then, seeing the faint gleam off the binoculars from a Chinese ship, he flipped them off after taking another puff.

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII

" _Hello, and thank you for tuning in to ABC news with us, I am Jaime Miller. Tonight, tensions are high on the high seas, as the United Nations gave an all-hands-down assault in the South China Sea this morning. Just a thousand miles off the coast of Vietnam, U.N. forces are in hot pursuit of the research vessel_ Ocean Odyssey, _the same vessel that once gave much needed supplies to the people still trapped in the Challenger Deep. Mark Luxon has more, Mark."_

Aaron watched the news feed in the living room of his home after he had gotten home from work. He walked in on his parents having their breakfast and enjoying the morning news broadcast. His dog Nui, an old Jack Russel Terrier mix, looked up from her spot on the couch. When she spotted Aaron, she just laid her head once again in her paws and fell back to sleep.

Aaron, not thinking much of anything, ignored his parents as he once again made his way into the bedroom. Taking off his shoes and his belt, he slowly and wearily walked into the much needed shower for a hot bath. When he again emerged, he made his way towards his bedroom to turn on the television, this time on another station to watch the news broadcast.

But as the broadcast went on, his mind could not focus on what was being said. Instead, it focused on the email he had received on his phone early this morning from Martha. He grew excited when he read it, for the first time in several months. He turned on his computer to reread the message that he had placed in his archives. Opening it up he read the message once again.

 _Aaron_

 _Oh god it is so good to write to you again! I told you I would didn't I? Well you wanted an update after we made our attempt to restart the main fusion reactor and well…._

 _It was a success! We are on main power now and so we don't have to worry about anything going out. EDI has been a real help in getting the ship back up and running again. Dr. Alenkov says that once we make sure all systems are ready and everyone is assigned to a crew spot we can make a break for the surface. I am coming home Aaron! Tell everyone I love them and I will see you as soon as I get the fuck off the ocean floor._

 _Love Martha._

Aaron let tears slip from his eyes as he crossed his arms over his desk and cried tears of joy. The message was short, but he was happy all the same. He read it again and again but in his mind only one thing remained, **Martha was coming home!** **She was coming back to him!** He sat there, crying, while Nui whined at the commotion that was going on in Aaron's room. She waddled up to him on her old legs and Aaron scooped her up, and held her as he cried. His mother came into the room at some point to see why he was crying. When he showed her the email, she was also in tears as they held onto each other. His father who heard the news also rushed into the room. All three of them held each other. Martha was coming back to them.

"Are you going to call her family to let them know?" Aaron's mother asked him.

"Yes, as soon as I wash my face and get something to drink, I will give them a call." Aaron replied.

 _NORMANDY_

Dr. Alenkov stood on the top of the stairs, leading to the main battery. Beside her was Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds and around the Crew Deck, people had gathered, waiting for the chance to know what is going on. Already, the top scientists and heads of the departments had gathered in their own separate section of the ship, as well as the people who work under them. As they waited with baited breath, Martha stood near the rear with the rest of the civilian crew members. When it was time to speak, finally, Dr. Alenkov was the first to speak.

"Is everyone here?" she asked each head of the department. When the heads all reported that everyone was present, she turned towards the crowd. Her face had shown with a glow of hope that had not been seen since Martha activated Normandy.

"Everyone is here, Dr. Alenkov," said one of the men from behind the group.

Taking a deep breath, Dr. Alenkov stood up straighter than before. Though now, her thin frame made her look skeletal and almost inhuman, like the rest of the crew. But she would not give up that posture of authority. As she stood there, facing the crowd, everyone waited for Dr. Alenkov to speak. She waited silently for smallest sounds to stop, and the people to face her. When they did she opened her mouth.

"Today marks a new day and a new opportunity," she said with pride in her voice. The crowd remained still as she looked to each and everyone of them. Her eyes taking in all the faces, making sure to have them memorized in case something bad happened to them all. Taking a deep breath, she continued to speak.

"Now, the reason why I called you here, is to give you all your assignments as the ship's crew. Right on the board behind me are your names and positions. Some of you don't have assignments because we couldn't figure out what to do with you. But for most of you, based on your practical skills or your degrees, you are assigned certain areas of the ship. We will need everyone ready and all the loose items secured before we can make an attempt for the surface." she said.

"What about depressurizing?" asked Wilson from the side.

" _You have been decompressed already, Mr. Cormac. As soon as the Normandy was reactivated, steps were taken in the life support systems to meet the needs of the human crew. That included depressurization to meet surface bio-metric pressure and atmosphere. So, to clarify, you are already decompressed and should be able to walk on the surface without developing nitrogen bubbles in your bloodstream,"_ EDI replied. That had the crew amazed.

"What is going to happen once we break off the sea floor?" asked another crew member, this one was an Asian woman who looked to be Korean.

"We are going after the Ocean Odyssey." Dr. Alenkov said. This surprised a lot of people and many of them began to mutter to themselves. It was hard to try and think about the what if's and what it would cause.

"Why can't the navy deal with it?" asked Dr. Caradine.

"The U.N. navy has tried, but the Odyssey has been armed with alien technology for some time now. From the reports we had received, they had so far destroyed more than twelve ships with that technology," said Dr. Jackson from his station to Dr. Alenkov's right.

"Twelve?" Dr. Caradine said, the thoughts spinning in his head. Such firepower was not for a research vessel. Since when did the Odyssey have such firepower?

"Ten previously and two just hours ago," Dr. Alenkov replied, showing the holographic image of the ships being blown from the vessel. The shocked looks of everyone on the crew, including Martha's, was enough to send ripples throughout the audience.

"Why the fuck is the Odyssey armed like it was a military vessel?" Wilson asked.

"The armaments were brought onboard by the pirates themselves," said Dr. Kimber as she stepped up and showed a few images. Everyone stood in shock at the photos taken by satellite and by drones.

"EDI had shown these to me when I was trying to figure out that puzzle myself. When I had it analyzed with Dr. Jackson and Dr. Jenkins, both men agreed that the pirates must have obtained it either through the black market or by a rich benefactor," Dr. Kimber replied.

"How are the U.N. not able to take them out?" asked another scientist.

"The Odyssey has sophisticated instruments that enabled them to detect any approaching vessel, no matter what the size. This enables them to safely retrieve the submarines and to ensure the location of the Normandy at all times. Such state-of-the-art technology makes them dangerous in the water. Several attempts to infiltrate the ship have failed, with all the infiltrators killed and their vessels sunk. Any air attempts are matched just as well with specialized rail guns attached recently to the hull of the vessel, making them ideal to take out any aircraft on approach, even a high altitude plane," said Major Lawoski, pointing to the ships and showing them the images of the weapons onboard the vessel. They even showed videos taken by satellite of the destruction of the ships.

"Where the fuck did they get the firepower?" Dr. Caradine asked.

"From the same person or persons backing the pirates who had stolen the vessel in the first place." said Dr. Kimber as she did an image enhancement on the vessel.

"From what we understood, the artifacts that we had collected from the Normandy, were being transported to the Odyssey before going to a mainland facility to be properly analyzed and duplicated. Such technologies are to thank for our current technological advancements, such as communication and yes, weaponry," said Dr. Jackson.

"So why can't we use the technology we had collected to get that ship back?" asked Wilson.

"We can't. Not without risking the lives of the hostages onboard," Dr. Alenkov replied.

" _Perhaps not with the current technology, but with the Normandy's advanced stealth systems, you have a chance of seizing the ship,"_ EDI said speaking up.

"What do you mean?" asked Major Reynolds.

" _I did an analysis of the Ocean Odyssey, and its current status and whereabouts, should you decide to pursue a rescue attempt. There are several major factors into the ship that made it efficient as a supply vessel for the Normandy crew. However, even with the defenses the pirates put up against the United Nations forces, when faced with the Normandy, this vessel still outclasses it by a large margin. Our shielding and even our armor are far superior to the armor that the current U.N. vessels have in stock. And our weapons systems are far superior to their rail guns,"_ EDI replied.

"Plus, it has a stealth system that allows it to hide in plain sight," Martha spoke up, and several people turned their heads to her.

"Stealth System?" asked another scientist - this one Martha recognized as Dr. Jenkins, who leads the Normandy's Element Zero research team.

"Well, mostly. This ship is a stealth vessel, capable to hiding where no other vessel can see it. It can become practically invisible to sensors with built-in heat sinks. Heat emissions are the most common way to detect ships in space, so the _Normandy_ negates that temporarily. Plus, with the Element Zero controlling the mass and gravity of the ship, it can become far lighter or far heavier than normal," Martha replied.

"Where the fuck did you get that?" asked Dr. Jenkins. He was a man who stood to the left of Dr. Kimber in the crowd. His pale features made him look more like a ghost than a man.

"I was board during the conversion, so I read through the Normandy's specifications. Plus, I also heard what EDI said earlier about the stealth systems," Martha replied. "We have something similar already: In Japan, they came up with an 'invisible coat' using a camera, projector, and a reflective surface on the coat. The Normandy has something similar, but more advanced. As long as we remain motionless, we're practically impossible to see, but once we move, the illusion shifts and distorts."

"The girl does have a point," said Major Reynolds, and everyone glanced back at him and he shrugged. "Remember: Lawoski and I are military, as well as our security team. If anything, it's military strategy we know a thing or two about, right Dr. Alenkov?" he said with a smirk; he meant it as a joke.

Dr. Alenkov rolled her eyes, knowing that he purposely forgot to add her to the list of people from a military background. What they stated does have a point, one which she wanted to ask, "EDI, does this ship also cloak against sonar and radar as well?" she asked.

" _The surfaces and armor of this ship do not directly reflect sound waves, Dr. Alenkov. However, the Normandy's kinetic barriers can be adjusted to absorb the sonic waves of underwater sonar. It can also disappear from radar completely with special coating that disperses and redirects radar signals on the armor, which, according to my sensors, has remained fully intact. That is what this ship is designed to do,"_ EDI replied.

"State of the art Military luxury liner, right EDI?" Martha said with a smirk.

" _When this ship was operational, it served as a commercial civilian vessel but in actuality, it was a military stealth reconnaissance warship made to penetrate the most secure quadrants of space,"_ EDI replied.

"There you have it, a way to get to the Odyssey undetected," Martha replied, looking smug much to the discomfort of some of the scientists.

"OK, smarty pants, say we do sneak up on the Odyssey. How do we take out their men onboard without killing the hostages?" asked Dr. Caradine.

"I think I have an answer to that," said another voice, and they all turned to Lucas, who was smirking from head to toe. He looked giddy as a child who had eaten too much sugar. He and David looked like boys who had just won a contest for the first time.

"OK, what do you have in mind?" asked Major Lawoski.

"When I was exploring this ship, I noticed several suits in the hanger bay. They looked like they could do some damage. I mean, yes, David and I tried them on and, well..." Lucas said.

"They are some _major_ military armor! They look like something you see out of a sci-fi movie or something, but there is a good number of suits. We could have the security team come down to check it out?" David replied.

" _The suits are designed to protect soldiers from heavy fire, as well as extreme environments."_ EDI said and they all looked at each other with glee.

"Are there any weapons?" asked Major Reynolds.

"Fuck yeah, there are weapons! Like I said, you should check it out," Lucas said, getting excited.

"Alright, folks let's get back to subject, and since we have a plan on getting the _Odyssey_ back, we will begin our launch attempt in four hours. That should give us enough time to make sure everything loose is tied down and non-critical personnel are safe in their quarters. Any more questions?" Dr. Alenkov asked. When no one responded, she dismissed them all, allowing them to return to their duties and to prepare for takeoff.

Martha, in the meantime, looked on the board knowing the answer to her assignment.

 _Nothing,_ she thought, which she was probably glad for. Knowing she was useless in anything else, but she was hoping for engineering or something of the sorts. Instead, she was one of those who has to wait till it was over. Walking towards the elevator, she quickly got onboard along with several other people. Pushing the button, she waited till the doors shut and the elevator began to rise before it made its creep upwards.

FOUR HOURS LATER

"Damn it!" Major Lawoski cursed as he slammed his hand on the blank console before him. His efforts at trying to start up the ship had proven futile.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he cursed even more as he continued to vent his frustration on the blank slate before him.

"What in God's name are you ranting about, mate?" Major Reynolds asked the American.

"This damn ship won't let me into the system, and I don't know how this thing works. It shows me nothing but a blank slab every time I try to activate it," Major Lawoski said.

Out of all the people onboard the ship, both Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds were the only two people who were once qualified pilots. Major Reynolds served in the Royal Air Force as a fighter pilot before retiring to the Normandy's security team. Major Lawoski was once an army helicopter pilot. Both of them were the only people onboard with any sort of flying experience.

However when it came to flying the Normandy….well things did not go as planned.

"God fucking damn it!" Major Lawoski yelled and slammed his hand onto the slab again.

" _ **What is going on up there?"**_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the radio. She sounded agitated.

"Sorry, Doc, but there seems to be a problem with the main drive. It seems as if we can't get into the system to activate the engines," said Major Reynolds, who had taken to playing the navigator on the side, and copilot. It was not long till Dr. Alenkov made her way into the cockpit, her face shadowed by her annoyance. When she arrived, she looked around until she noticed the single chair where Major Lawoski was sitting and the blank console.

"Have you both tried switching sides?" she asked.

"Yes, _Three_ times, and it didn't work," said Major Reynolds. He, too, looked distraught.

Taking a deep breath, Dr. Alenkov looked to the side, where a single glowing ball was floating.

"EDI, why is the ship not responding to Major Reynolds or Major Lawoski's commands?" she asked the A.I.

" _Give me a few minutes to find the problem,"_ EDI said and then she was gone. A few minutes passed until, finally, the A.I.'s now-familiar floating bubble returned.

"Well, what is the issue?" asked Major Lawoski impatiently as he glared at the orb.

" _There is no mechanical issue that can be detected,"_ EDI replied.

"What?" said Major Reynolds.

" _To clarify, the Normandy's hardware and software are performing at optimal levels. However, there seems to be a problem with the helmsmen station,"_ EDI replied.

"Can you fix it?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

" _There is nothing to be fixed Dr. Alenkov,"_ EDI replied.

"What do you mean 'there is nothing to be fixed'? Have you tried to identify the problem," said Major Lawoski.

" _I have,"_ EDI replied her voice sounded smug.

"Then why are you not telling us what is causing the pilot's terminal from working?" Dr. Alenkov said, sounding worried.

" _Because there is no hardware or software error,"_ EDI replied, and Dr. Alenkov immediately came on guard when the A.I. said this.

"Then why is it not working?" she asked again.

" _Because Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds are not authorized to helm the ship,"_ EDI replied. She sounded smug and Dr. Alenkov was not in the mood for jokes.

"EDI, Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds are qualified pilots, they have a service record to prove it. Why are you denying them access if that is not proof enough?" she asked.

" _To clarify, what I was trying to say Dr. Alenkov: Though it is true that Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds both have service records that date back twenty years or so, with Major Lawoski piloting for the United States Army in the Iraqi War, and Major Reynolds was a fighter pilot during the Cold War, neither of them are qualified to pilot an advanced stealth warship such as the Normandy,"_ EDI replied.

"Why are we not qualified?" asked Major Reynolds, sounding curious. He was not bothered by the rejection of piloting the ship. He knew he didn't qualify, but all the same, he was curious to hear the reasoning from an A.I.

" _Your qualifications fall short by your cognitive skills as pilots. Though true, both of you have experience in piloting aircraft, none of you have the skills necessary to pilot the Normandy's systems. Your mind has to be at its peak at all times to make split-second decisions that could affect the entire crew. In space, it is crucial to have such skills, especially when piloting this ship,"_ EDI replied.

"Why is that?" Major Lawoski asked, confused by the whole ordeal.

" _The terminal velocity of the ship, the correct course vector and the mass effect fields this ship produces are all measured in the pilot's chair. To pilot the Normandy, you have to be Navigator, Pilot, Weapons Specialist and a computer expert at the same time. If you jump to warp speed and timed the course wrong, you could end up colliding with the moon,"_ EDI explained.

"Warp speed?" Major Reynolds said, and from the looks on his face, he was just as confused as Major Lawoski.

" _That last part was a joke,"_ EDI replied.

"I did not know that computers can make jokes," Major Lawoski said.

"EDI, we don't have time for jokes and I know you think this is funny, but I think it is time you give the controls to one of them, so we can get out of here," Dr. Alenkov was clearly annoyed by now and she was not in the mood for any more games. The two men, on the other hand, could understand where the A.I. was coming from, and both were kind of in the ropes as to what to do. But Major Reynolds, who was the older of the two men, seemed to start to understand EDI's perspective.

"Alright, EDI. So you don't want the two of us here to pilot, we get it, you don't have to make a joke of it, lass." Major Reynolds finally said.

"WHAT!" Major Lawoski called out, turning to Major Reynolds who was smiling as he shrugged.

"Look, Lawoski, this is an Artificial Intelligence that has lived for millions of years. If she tells you that you can't drive the car, then for fuck's sake, you can't drive," Major Reynolds said from his seat in the copilot's station.

Major Lawoski was not happy about it, given that he was sitting in the pilot's chair. But he wanted to enjoy the leather seating that was there. The chair itself is very comfortable, and the fact that he would have gotten to pilot a real live alien vessel was too much to pass up. Unfortunately, with EDI's declaration the latter hope was dashed as he stared at the empty and lifeless console.

"Alright, smarty pants, why don't you drive?" Major Lawoski shot back at him, his frustration and annoyance growing. But the older Major Reynolds only laughed as he shook his head, "I have a feeling she does not want me to pilot either."

Dr. Alenkov remained silent, listening to the banter between EDI, Major's Lawoski and Reynolds. Finally, she turned towards the orb once again. Her mind in deep thought, she asked the question: "EDI, why don't you want them as pilots? I understand your reasoning, but you never quite clarified as to _why_ you don't want them to pilot. You only mentioned the jobs that are required for the helmsmen position. But you never mentioned once the real reason why they are not qualified?"

" _To answer your question, Dr. Alenkov, I do not feel that these two are appropriate to pilot the Normandy. Though true, they are the only qualified pilots with experience on this vessel, their only experience is with Earth vessels such as fighter planes and helicopters. It may look good on paper at an Earth government's desk, but on a warship like this, their skills would be insufficient in handling the Normandy's Tantalus Drive Core,"_ EDI replied.

"Why would their skills be useless with the drive core?" Dr. Alenkov asked curious.

" _The Tantalus Drive Core is a very powerful engine that can not only propel the Normandy light years across the galaxy, it is also the source of the element zero you see on this planet. It was created to provide artificial gravity for the ship as well as control the mass of the ship itself, making us lighter_ _or_ _heavier. But a helmsmen needs to know how to use the gravity-fields that the Normandy's drive core produces. When the commander of the ship plots the course, the helmsmen needs to navigate through countless stars to find the right relay to get them to where they need to go. They also need to control the weapons system in case the weapon's specialist or myself are unable to fire the main cannon. The power behind the drive has to be operated by someone who either has the training to handle the systems of the Normandy, or has a mind that is sharp enough to make split-second decisions and act accordingly."_ EDI replied.

"So you're saying that the drive core is dangerous?" Major Lawoski said.

" _That is correct,"_ EDI replied.

"OK then, smarty pants, then what does it take to pilot the ship?" Major Reynolds asked.

" _A helmsman needs to know how to make split-second decisions, as I stated earlier. This ship can travel faster than the speed of light; any wrong decisions and we can end up inside of a star,"_ EDI replied.

Major Reynolds whistled as he heard this, for it was some serious stuff that EDI is talking about. Now they all understood why she was reluctant to let the two men deal with the ship's computers. It was not because she was giving them hell for it, it was for their safety. She was concerned for the crew and wanted them to be safe.

"EDI, I understand you are concerned for the safety of the crew, but we need to get to the surface. We need food and some of us need medical attention that only a qualified human doctor can do. Plus, we have a ship on the surface, if you remember, that has _your_ technology on it. Those men who had taken the Odyssey have also taken the technology, namely _weapons,_ with them. If they got them to the wrong people then a war is about to happen," Dr. Alenkov said to the floating orb.

" _I understand your concern Dr. Alenkov, but safety is my priority. And your safety overall. I cannot jeopardize the crew of this ship over a split-second decision. The helmsman's position is only open to someone who can understand the Normandy's systems."_ EDI replied.

Now it was Major Lawoski who asked the question, "OK then, EDI, if we aren't qualified to pilot the ship, then who is?" he asked.

The image that appeared before them showed a very familiar face, and the information beside it was all they needed to know. Outrage was the first thing that met them and then anger on Dr. Alenkov's part as she glared at the orb.

"No," she said.

" _Dr. Alenkov I must insist..."_ EDI replied.

"I said NO! You will leave her out of this, she has done enough!" Dr. Alenkov replied and glared.

"Who has done enough, Dr. Alenkov?" asked Major Lawoski.

Dr. Alenkov took a deep breath before turning to the men. "She means to use _**Martha**_ to pilot the ship," she replied.

"WHAT!" both Major Lawoksi and Major Reynolds leaped up in alarm. The reaction was clear across the room as many heads turned. All three of them turned towards EDI with surprise on their faces. The shock was clear as it was Major Reynolds who spoke first.

"Martha has no combat experience nor any piloting skills. You can't expect her to pilot the ship!" he stated as he showed clearly how angry and scared he was for the young woman.

"Reynolds is right, EDI, you can't have someone who has no experience piloting the ship," Major Lawoski said.

" _Though it is true that Martha has no experience in combat or piloting, she is the only candidate who can pilot the ship. All other members who were potentials do not have the one thing that Martha clearly has,"_ EDI replied.

"Oh, and what does she have that they don't?" asked Major Reynolds, looking clearly angry now at the blue orb. His hands were balled into fists and clenched at the sides as he glared at the orb. He wanted nothing more than to smash the thing to bits, but she would probably kill him first.

"ADHD," Dr. Alenkov's voice was shaking as she finally came to that realization. Her eyes widened at that realization as to why Martha was so important to EDI. She turned towards the orb away from the men and glared at it.

"That it why you want her here! Her disability is the reason why you want her as pilot! She can think faster than any of us and she is the only one who could solve your puzzle, isn't it? That is why you want her as helmswoman," Dr. Alenkov stated, and the men looked at the orb, waiting for an answer. At first there was silence and then:

" _You are incorrect,"_ EDI stated.

That threw Dr. Alenkov off from her tirade and she stared at the orb for a minute, trying to process what she was told. And before her mind could come up with any solutions, EDI began to explain.

" _I did not choose Martha because of her disability, but because of her skill set. Her artistic, creative, and problem solving skills allow her to think more freely and openly than the rest of the crew. Therefore, she can make assessments and split-second decisions that are, 'outside,' of the box."_ EDI replied.

All three stared at the floating orb, flabbergasted. Here was an A.I. who made a decision without their consent, and behind their backs about someone that they thought was done with the rescue attempts. They wanted her to remain out of the picture, but now the A.I. is telling them that she is, for the most part, the most important piece.

"You want us to ask for her help again? Why don't you ask her yourself?" asked Major Lawoski.

" _Because she does not answer to me,"_ EDI replied to that comment. It was then they understood. Dr. Alenkov was put on the spot when the orb made that statement. She took a deep breath as a tear fell from her eye. Martha was a civilian, not an officer and yet…, "Summon her here," she said reluctantly.

MARTHA'S ROOM

Martha looked towards the ceiling, waiting for the ship to start rising up to the surface. The lights of the many fish above her made her want to reach out and touch them. But the only hum was the power that was currently on. There was no sound of the engines and no hum of anything working. The silence was both soothing and lonely. As she laid there on the bed, waiting, she could not help but imagine what it would be like to see the light of the sun once more. To feel the rays on her skin and the wind through her hair.

Taking a deep breath, she sighed, waiting for the feel of the ship to move. But there was nothing.

"Why isn't it moving yet?" she said out loud.

As she was thinking of it, music played from the floating clock off to the side. She watched whales on her laptop earlier, because here in the Challenger Deep, it was too far down for any whale to travel, so it would be impossible to think about it. Not even something familiar, like a seal or a dolphin could make it. The depths are a cold and lonely place. All she wanted was to finally go home but there was nothing but silence.

" _Martha?"_ the voice of EDI came over the loudspeaker.

"Yes," Martha said, leaping up from the bed. She knew she was supposed to be strapped into the seat on the side, but she wanted to look at the ceiling once more. However, when EDI called, she leaped up in surprise.

" _Dr. Alenkov requests your presence on the bridge,"_ she said, her voice sounding soft as if she was tired from a long day.

"OK. Are you alright, EDI?" Martha asked.

" _I am functioning fine. However, you shouldn't keep Dr. Alenkov waiting,"_ EDI replied.

Martha quickly got dressed and made her way to the elevator.

BRIDGE

"You wanted to see me?" Martha inquired as she got off the elevator. Dr. Alenkov was already waiting for her when she entered the Command Center. She was standing near the hologram of the ship. It changed from a hologram of the Normandy to that of Planet Earth. But when she stepped away from the platform, it reverted back. She then slowly walked down the stairs, her gait hesitant and weary and her eyes shown her age.

"Yes Martha, I do," Dr. Alenkov said, her voice hoarse as if she had been crying.

"Dr. Alenkov, are you alright?" Martha asked concerned. She was aware of the hitch in the woman's breath, but saw Dr. Alenkov take a deep breath before answering.

"We have a slight problem that we need you to solve," Dr. Alenkov stated as she seemed hesitant to answer Martha's probing gaze.

"Well, what problem requires me, Dr. Alenkov?" Martha asked, curious but concerned at the same time. Her eyes looked around, seeing the many faces look at her strangely.

"EDI... does not want Major Lawoski nor Major Reynolds to pilot the Normandy," Dr. Alenkov stated.

"What? Why?" Martha stuttered in shock. This was indeed news, but why is she telling her in person and why is she here? Those were the questions that rang through Martha's head as she looked towards the hologram of the ship sitting just in front of her.

" _Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds are skilled pilots in their respective militaries. However, they are poor candidates for the Normandy's systems,"_ EDI said, speaking up from the overhead loudspeakers. Martha became more confused as Dr. Alenkov glared at the roof of the ship. She said something out loud in Russian, which made some people cringe. If Martha had to guess it was a very bad swear word. Trying to understand what is going on, Martha wanted some answers.

"And what does this have to do with me?" Martha said.

" _You showed exceptional problem solving skills in figuring out the puzzle to my main systems. And it was also_ _ **you**_ _who figured out the use of the omni-tool. In order to pilot the Normandy, one has to have a quick brain and extensive knowledge of advanced computer systems in order to make this ship capable of flight,"_ EDI replied.

Martha's eyes widened with the realization that just dawned on her. She turned towards Dr. Alenkov, and the woman sadly nodded her head. She looked depressed, as if she was arguing with the computer for quite sometime.

"So you want me to pilot the ship? Are you fucking kidding me! I don't even know how to pilot a plane, much less a _space ship!_ " Martha argued towards the console where EDI's orb was floating above.

"I'm sorry, Martha, I tried to argue with the A.I. but she would not move," Dr. Alenkov said.

"But... but, why?" was all that came out of Martha's mouth. She was stunned and a bit frightened at the same time. She was visibly shaking when Dr. Alenkov put her hand on her shoulders. She knew Martha was tempted to shake her off when EDI's voice came again over the intercom.

" _Your qualities are based on your skill set. Your artistic skills came in handy when solving the puzzles that the ship put down to throw its enemies off balance. The use of your mind and the changes in your DNA have affected your qualifications for the Normandy. Also, your compassion to put yourself in harm's way shows that are willing to do what it takes to keep the crew safe. A skilled helmsman is needed to do just that during an emergency,"_ EDI replied.

"But what about Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds?" asked Martha, feeling as if she had stolen the title from the two most notable men.

" _Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds are both qualified security officers, but they are not good helmsmen. More to the point, Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds are familiar with_ **human** _technology, so their minds do not comprehend the Normandy's systems. Their training also clouds their judgment,"_ EDI replied over the loudspeaker.

"Are you sure you want me to pilot this thing?" Martha asked, her voice clearly shaking. The cold fear of once again having to save the crew came to mind. She also started to feel the same feeling that she felt when she was trapped in the E.Z.C.. But it was as if a soothing presence came to her mind, calming her. Dr. Alenkov's hand had not left her shoulder, as if sensing her fear.

" _Affirmative, the Normandy is the most advanced warship in the galaxy with its Tantalus Core and its advanced stealth systems. Only someone who can think outside of normal thought parameters could comprehend the advanced systems that are required for operation,"_ EDI replied her voice was sure.

"Why her? Why not anyone else on this ship?" asked another voice, this one belonging to Major Lawoski as he stood on the stairs. His voice was hard and accusing as he glared upwards towards the ceiling. Everyone who was there also turned to him.

" _Martha is the only logical choice. She put her crew before herself, something that majority of you have not thought of. A helmsman of the Normandy must ensure the safety of the crew before themselves. It is a priority..."_ before EDI could finish, Major Lawoski yelled at it.

"Martha is a _civilian,_ not a machine. Even if she has the qualities you said she does, that does not make it so you can use her to your own whims!" he shouted at EDI.

" _If given the choice, would you put yourself at risk for anyone else? Despite what you were taught in basic training? I doubt it, I saw your service record, Major Lawoski. I know what you've been through,"_ EDI replied.

"Bullshit! You know nothing, you're just a stupid computer who doesn't know a damn thing about human emotions!" he yelled.

"Major, that is enough!" Dr. Alenkov stated. But he was not done yet, as he continued to yell regardless of who was listening.

"Don't you fucking tell me to shut up, Elenna, you know as well as I do that this _thing_ is trying to call the shots. She says she wants to put someone else on the line for this, well I say screw..."

"STOP IT!" Martha yelled, causing Major Lawoski to stop what he was saying, and Dr. Alenkov looked down at her in shock. Martha had tears in her eyes, but she stood her ground. She started to glow a bright blue color and her eyes started to turn from brown to red. And if Dr. Alenkov looked closer, they started to turn from normal to slitted, like that of a snake. She was also visibly shaking.

"I'll do it,...just,...just stop, please!" Martha begged and Major Lawoski glared, "You don't have to do this Martha," he begged.

"Yes...Yes I do... I have seen it for a while in my dreams and I understand why. You don't have to protect me, Major Lawoski, I am an adult and I can fight for myself." Martha replied. Her shoulders were shaking from fear but, surprisingly, Dr. Alenkov held on. Offering her support as well as comfort.

"Hey, man, we are with you, one hundred percent," said David from his station on the side. Others started to agree with him as they too put in their words of encouragement.

Martha nodded. Her tear-stained face made it known that she was scared as she wiped away her tears. Taking a few deep breaths, she wanted to run, but she knew that she can't; it was an all or nothing-fight and she needs to chip in. Slowly, she started to release herself from Dr. Alenkov's grip. The others in the C.I.C. remained silent as she slowly walked towards the cockpit. Her steps were heavy and weary, as if she was going to her execution.

She made her way to the one door that had been closed the entire time she was on the ship. It now opened to reveal the cockpit for the first time. Martha had not been in here when she and Hilary explored the ship. She, in a way, had been avoiding it. She remembered this area from her dreams; it was where she saw herself in the pilot's chair. That chair was now facing her, staring at her and looming in front of her. She could hear the footsteps of Major Lawoski standing behind her. She stood there at the door, looking into the room and the computers there, EDI's orb floating on the left while Major Reynolds was off to the right.

Martha closed her eyes, trying to will herself to be calm as she stood in front of the pilot's chair. It was some sort of leather, that much she could tell. The chair was also quite large and could swallow her small frame whole. It was too far away from the console, but she felt that it could move forward and up to the console if she willed it to.

"Holy shit!" Martha said as she examined the seat and some of the controls, also on the seat. It had a headrest like any typical flight chair, but the headrest was large and overpowering to look at. The chair had no seat belts, but then again, this is an _alien_ vessel, and maybe they didn't feel like the straps were necessary. Slowly, Martha let herself feel the chair and felt it's leathery outside for the first time.

"Go, on," said Major Reynolds from his seat. Martha looked at him as if he was a stranger, but when her eyes focused once again, she saw that he was smiling at her, as if encouraging her to take a seat. Slowly Martha sank into the chair and, to her surprise, it felt like a soft leather lounge chair! Slowly Martha felt along the chair's armrests and also along the length of the chair. She was amazed at the feel of it.

"Now that we have that settled, we should strap in, since this will be a bumpy ride," Major Reynolds said from his station. The joke didn't reach Martha's ears as she was still staring into the C.I.C. Her mind was changed from fear to wonder, to anticipation and worry.

Martha looked uncertain at the blue orb that floated just next to her, "Are you sure about this, EDI?" Martha asked.

"If she thinks you can pilot the ship, then you can pilot the ship," Major Reynolds said as he gave her some encouragement.

Martha took a deep breath, her hands shaking as she looked at the chair. She really wanted to go home, and now she had the chance to not only get back up to the surface, but get back at the ones who did this to her in the first place. Slowly, she leaned back into the chair, allowing her body to adjust to the chair's shape. Suddenly, the chair moved when she relaxed her head against the headrest. It suddenly turned around and moved toward the console. It then lifted her up to be the right height as well as lean her chair back so that she appeared to be in a relaxed position. Calming her mind, Martha then placed her hands onto the console.

"Alright, here goes nothing," she said.

Martha placed her hands over the console; the blank surface was smooth to the touch. As she put her hands there, she waited.

But nothing happened...

"OK, EDI what do I have to do?" Martha asked, uncertain of what she has to do.

" _Relax and clear your mind of outside thoughts, allow the ship access into your mind,"_ EDI replied her voice sounded like it was anticipating Martha's next move.

"You can do this lass, I have faith in you to take us home," said Major Reynolds with encouragement from Major Lawoski who was at the other station on the right.

Martha closed her eyes and let her mind relax, allowing the Normandy to interface with her brain. She felt the same sensation before, when she first activated the ship. This time, however, was different. Instead of the forced entry, it was gentle this time. It was not the mass paralysis that she felt the first time. This time it was far gentler without the massive dump of information. Instead, she could feel something inside her head, as if probing the minor bits instead of the major parts of her anatomy. Then, as if a switch was turned on, a display screen showed in front of her.

"Whoa!" she said as she saw the holographic screen come to life in front of her. She was shocked with all the writings that were zooming in front of her as image after image appeared. Confused and a little worried, Martha looked at them in bewilderment. Then taking her hand out as if to touch them, she wondered if she could move them like on a tablet. When she touched it, the image did move as if being swatted aside. Finally seeing that for the first time, Martha felt as if she could control the bombardment of images and displays being presented to her.

"Alright let's see here..." Martha said, going through the various holographic displays in front of her.

" _Try to see if you can sort through them to find the main thruster control,"_ EDI guided.

"Ok," Martha replied nervously as she used her hand to feel through them to find what she was looking for. She actually started grabbing some of them and pushing them down. Major Reynolds was doing the same thing from the copilot's chair. Various navigation charts showed on his screen. He was busy filtering through them.

Martha found what she assumed was the controls about ten minutes later. She was both confused and overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that she had to clear to find it.

"EDI what is all that other crap?" Martha asked after she pushed down another display of graphs.

" _Ship diagnostics, area reports, things a helmsmen oversees on this ship,"_ EDI replied.

"Doesn't the captain or the admiral see this crap?" Martha asked, looking a bit overwhelmed.

" _Dr. Alenkov receives the same information as you, she is also the one who orders the destination and you must plot the course,"_ EDI replied.

Now Major Lawoski understood why EDI did not let him pilot. He would have been frustrated when he saw all those charts. All of them saying something, readouts, reports, scans all of them dating back millions of years. He would have gotten frustrated really fast. Major Reynolds was also getting used to his terminal. Though older than Major Lawoski, the man seems to have a knack for figuring out the charts.

"Jesus Christ that is a lot of old data," he said as he rummaged through some old maps of the Earth from various years.

" _The Normandy has an automated mapping system. When on a planet for extended periods of time, probes are sent to scan the planet's surface. This is done every century or so. The reports you are viewing are detailed maps of the planet at various times throughout the millennia,"_ EDI replied.

"So you have charts that date back to the stone age, go figure," said Major Lawoski. Though he enjoyed the photographs of various creatures, his thoughts came back to the task at hand.

The images in front of Martha subsided, leaving what appeared to be a keyboard and what appeared to be controls. _This must be it,_ she thought with excitement.

"Is this it, EDI?" Martha asked the A.I..

" _Yes, now find the main control for the ship's thrusters, it should be on the top left hand side,"_ EDI said to her.

Martha turned her head till she saw what she was looking for. It was a series of holographic buttons on the top left hand side.

"Is this it?" She asked, pointing.

" _Yes, now switch them on from left to right, starting with the one furthest on the left,"_ EDI replied.

She reached out and pressed them all from the left to the right. The ship started to hum and light up as she did this. Looking around in amazement at the amount of lights turning on around her, she turned to the right to see Major Reynolds, smiling with encouragement at her.

Returning the smile with a nod, Martha felt more encouraged as she started to read and figure out the controls. "Ok, I think I sort of figured this out." she said. Then, with a smile, she started laughing.

"What is so funny?" asked Major Reynolds.

"I was just thinking about one of my favorite cartoon quotes," Martha replied as she turned towards the screens in front of her. She then reached up pushed a button that was labeled for the intercom, "Alright, people, hold on to something; this is going to be a bit rough," Martha said. She read through each of the controls, getting a feel for the controls and what each one was. And that was when she decided to have a bit of fun.

"Activating Interlock," she said.

"Dynotherms Connected," replied Major Reynolds smirking, then he burst into laughter.

"Infracells up," Martha said.

"Maga-Thrusters are go!" Major Reynolds shouted in glee.

"Alright, guys, knock it off with the **Voltron** crap and get us the fuck out of here!" said Major Lawoski from his station. Both of them laughed at the terminology before going back to business. Martha then started to hit a few buttons to the side that said, **engine startup.**

" _Guys, the core has lit up! You would not believe the amount of energy emitting from it!"_ Dr. Jackson's excited voice said over the intercom. Many other voices started to form as well, giving way to a whole stream of conversations. It was becoming quite loud in the hallway behind them. Martha's ears began to ring from the constant chatter.

" _Dr. Jackson, are your people secured?"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice replied to the first statement. This caused quite the noise from the conversations, causing everyone to quickly be quiet. Martha was glad for the silence.

" _Secured and ready,"_ Dr. Jackson replied, and Martha smiled now, feeling excited to do something. The fear that she felt earlier subsided into a sense of wonder and adventure as she looked up at the controls once more.

"Alright people, here we go, H3 fuel cells at less than quarter capacity for auxiliary power. Diverting all non-critical power to landing thrusters as well as expanding the kinetic barrier to help us get a boost off the sea floor," Martha said as she reached up and moved her fingers upwards, towards the gauge for the landing thrusters. "Alright everyone, hang on tight," Martha said and hit the controls.

" _Activating Element Zero Tantalus Drive now,"_ EDI replied. The ship started to shake as Martha began to hit a few more switches on the side, increasing power to the thrusters.

"Engaging landing thrusters to full power," Martha said. The feeling of nervousness was still there, but she pushed it aside. Pushing the gauge forwards, she felt the ship vibrate further as it tried to break free from the sea floor.

All around the ship, people began to hold on as the ship began to power up. It was like a major earthquake beginning to happen. The silence was strong as well as the feelings of hope and encouragement. Dr. Alenkov, who was in the C.I.C. on the navigation platform held on as the rumbling increased. Those who were seated were glad that their chairs provided some sort of protection from the constant shaking with their cushioned backsides. But for those in the cockpit, things were only just beginning.

"Alright, diverting more power from nonessential systems to landing thrusters. Adjusting mass effect field to compensate," Martha said as she added more power to the thrusters by hitting a few more switches. Then, suddenly, two holographic joysticks appeared in front of her. Taking them in each hand, Martha began to pull back on the controls.

The vibrations continued to increase as the ship shook, trying to break itself free from the sea floor. The silt was thick and sticky as Martha pushed the Normandy even harder to get out. But slowly, she felt the ship start to rise as it pushed itself slowly but surely from the ground. After millions of years, the Normandy was fighting to free itself of its sticky tomb. The ship was really shaking as Martha tried to focus on not panicking. Her breathing increased as she started to hyperventilate.

"You are doing fine, lass, keep it up, I can feel us rising," Major Reynolds said from the copilot's chair. Trying to focus, Martha added more power into the thrusters. The ship's vibration increased a hundred fold as it fought to break free of the ocean floor. Struggling to hold on to the controls, Martha pulled back on them more to increase power. It was like a jeep stuck in the mud. A vehicle that is unable to move and requires a bit of help. Pulling the controls to their limit, Martha was covered in sweat but she held on tight to the holographic controls. They felt solid in her hands, as if they were solid objects. But she could feel them and that gave her initiative to keep going.

Just as she was about to collapse, the ship suddenly lurched and Martha cut the thrusters down to a minimum as the ship was finally free from the mud. She gave a whoop of joy as she felt the ship rising slowly through the water. Breathing a sigh of relief, Martha eased up on the throttle, allowing her body to relax. After a taxing time, exhaustion was clearly evident on her face. But she held on as she kept the ship rising above the seabed.

All around the ship, people shouted for joy and began to hug each other in cheer. It was as if they were rising to freedom at last. They could feel themselves rising slower now that the vibration had stopped. As more and more people started to get oriented, the ones on the bridge were hard at work.

" _Martha, you did it!"_ said Dr. Alenkov on the intercom.

Martha gave a big smile when she did. She felt encouraged as she lifted them further up the water column, "Alright, we are just about 1000 meters from the sea floor. Dr. Alenkov, what is our course of action?"

" _Alright, when we get over the ridge, I want you to chart a course to the Vietnam coast, there is a ship I want back,"_ she said firmly.

Martha smiled, "Yes, ma'am!"

"Alright, lass, I got the vector set. Are you ready to take us to the _Odyssey_?" Major Reynolds asked.

Martha then eased up on the thrusters a bit more, letting the ship slowly rise as she counted down the ascent to the top of the trench.

"Alright, we are at a depth of 36,000 feet and rising," Martha said, adjusting the balance of the ship, feeling the thrusters beneath her feet as she leveled out. Though they were still rising, Martha had to slow down to make sure that she did not cause too much of a shock to the systems. Slowly, but surely, she rose and counted down the depth with the counter on the side. Major Reynolds was doing the same, while Major Lawoski was keeping an eye on the canyon walls.

 _USS ALASKA_

The Admiral of the _Alaska_ was nervous as he watched the _Ocean Odyssey_ and her pirate escort loom in front of him. They held their ground so far and took out a few of their ships with the alien tech that was stolen. He could give them credit on their tenacity as they held on to what they had stolen for so long. But as he explained to his superiors, the situation was getting worse.

Now that they had cut them off from their main supply chain, the hunt was on. Already they lad lost a total of eleven ships and another eleven were badly damaged and heading back to shore for repairs. They included four American vessels, two Chinese vessels, one Filipino, three Japanese defense vessels and one South Korean that was heading back to shore for immediate repairs. That left just seventy ships enough to keep up the chase. That's twenty two ships total that were lost in the past few months. Most of them happened within the last few hours.

"What are they doing?" asked one of the men looking out through the binoculars.

The admiral quickly rushed towards the viewing window, where the captain of the _Alaska_ was waiting. Taking the binoculars from him, he looked through them and cursed. Already, the pirates had started lining up the hostages one by one onto the deck of the ship. Many of them waving guns, meaning that they were becoming desperate as several military vessels started to open fire on the ship.

"Tell them to cease fire now!" he said and the captain went to relay the orders. But as he watched, one or two of them started to herd people towards a makeshift plank.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" he said as he watched one man try to beg, but was shot in the head and sent over. The shots couldn't get through anyways

NEAR THE MARIANAS RIDGE

"We are over the ridge ma'am," Martha announced to Dr. Alenkov. She was getting the hang of using the controls of the Normandy. Beside her, Major Reynolds was doing the navigation and keeping an eye on the ridge. Outside, Martha could see nothing but darkness, but the long range sensors of the ship showed otherwise.

" _Good, I am imputing the last known coordinates of the_ Ocean Odyssey _,"_ she said in full military mode,

"Input received. Plotting course," Martha said, smirking as she turned towards Major Reynolds. "How am I doing?" she said.

"You're doing great kid, how are you feeling?" he asked with some concern.

"I am feeling good now that I am getting the hang of this," Martha replied and checked her charts to make sure everything was correct.

" _Course is plotted, set destination_ _five_ _hundred miles from the coast of Vietnam,"_ EDI said from Martha's left. The holographic map showed the last known ping of the Ocean Odyssey. There were other dots from the various fleets around the small ship and Martha had to whistle when she looked. But she knew that in order to get there, she was going to have to engage the thrusters.

She began typing a series of buttons, "Alright shutting down landing thrusters and engaging main drive. Um, EDI how do I avoid any whales in the area, so I don't hear it from Hilary about hurting them?" she said.

" _The Normandy will be able to send out a pulse which will deter any higher level ocean life from coming into contact with the Normandy. Besides, we will be in full stealth mode so they won't detect us,"_ was the reply from the A.I.

"Alright, let's do this," Martha said, feeling excited. "Hang on to something," she added.

" _Inertial dampeners are engaged. You don't have to hold on to anything. Artificial gravity is also engaged, so the feeling of speed and vertigo will not affect anyone on this ship unless life support is damaged,"_ EDI replied. Martha only shook her head as she began to hit a series of buttons off to the right. The holographic display showing the controls was still a bit new, but at least they are simple enough for her to understand. The different gauges also helped in determining depth and speed of the ship. Flipping a few more switches, she then held on as she felt the ship start to vibrate a bit more. She then felt the ship start to move forwards as she was pushed slightly back into her seat until the inertial dampeners took over and she was finally able to move.

"Alright, everyone, engaging stealth mode in 3…..2…..1….engage!" And with that Martha hit a button and a small holographic image of the ship that was on the right of her panel suddenly changed to a more darker version of itself. The letters STEALTH SYSTEM ENGAGED came online. Smirking, Martha was not sure that she had one of the coolest jobs on Earth. She just hoped Enrique and the others are alright.

TBC

 **A/n: Oh man rewriting this chapter was a BITCH! It was hard enough to write the first time but rewriting it yet again was a hassle in itself! Any how please if you have the time post a review and remember when you do no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, AND FLAMES PLEASE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ONLY!**

 **Thank you.**


	17. From the Depths of the Abyss

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Ok this is one I had to split up because let's face it. Rescuing the crew of the Ocean Odyssey and then finally going into space is in need of a chapter split. I noticed in the original that there was a major loophole in the rescue of the Ocean Odyssey. Why would the pirates resort to make them just walk the plank and then the Normandy suddenly shows up. That does not sound about right. I would also like to thank my beta for pointing out a few things with the Normandy's stealth systems and helping me to stay grounded when it comes to M.E. tech. Now I think I am going to bed please if you are reading this leave a review and remember no FLAMES, BASHINGS OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ONLY!**

 **Ok now that, that is done on with the story.**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 16: From the Depths of the Abyss**

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Another body was thrown into the water and the sounds of feeding sharks could be heard from the deck of the _Ocean Odyssey_. Enrique had to turn his head to avoid being sick as the blood on the plank made his stomach roll. The smell also was starting to get to him as the stench of rotting blood and gore littered the deck. The men had become desperate as they started killing anyone who spoke out. Micheal was also shaking as they dragged another body to the slaughter. The person who was going to be slaughtered pleaded and begged with them to let him go. The men shoved him onto the plank and the man didn't even have the time to get oriented on the plank, before he was tossed off into the water. The sharks, being as hungry as they were, started to devour him in a feeding frenzy. His screams were nothing more than bubbles. Something both men started to see when they were dragged over to the edge to watch.

The _Ocean Odyssey_ had stopped just five hundred miles from mainland Vietnam. It was the one port the pirates had tried to go to in order to disappear. But they had not counted on the Vietnamese to come to the aid of the U.N. and that their navy had stopped all attempts to get past them. The ship had found itself surrounded on all sides. With Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia on the western side, facing land, the rest of the nations were in the east, north and south.

It was not a good situation for the pirates.

Already, they had been witness to several ships within the past few hours sinking because the pirates started using the alien weapons to fight off the Naval fleets coming to claim what was theirs. It was a sight to see as they used the experimental weaponry on top of the _Odyssey_ to sink anyone who got too close. They had smaller weapons that were also powerful enough to sink ships. They even used them to knock drones and other aircraft out of the skies. Enrique watched as they made a submarine go belly up when they dropped bombs that had the impact of a depth charge into the water. This damaged the sub as oil and fuel leaked out. Catching fire for a time, the submarine never stood a chance. From the looks of it, if what Micheal told him was true, then it was an Australian submarine. Then the Aussies are not going to be happy with the deaths of all their seamen, if the large gaping hole in the hull had anything to do with it.

Two United States battleships also were surprisingly hit by the rail guns. Their hulls were smoking, but thankfully, they didn't sink, and were escorted out of the perimeter and to safety in Vietnam's shores. There were also some smaller boats that were sunk and Special Forces personnel that were killed in the onslaught to get to the _Odyssey_. It was only when they activated the shield a week ago to protect them from the artillery of the Chinese that Enrique had really started to worry. If they were starting to get the artillery to peak levels at the naval fleets, imagine what would happen if that technology, no matter how old, got in the wrong hands.

DEEP BELOW THE OCEAN

A slick shadow passed through the dark gloomy depths as silent as a ghost. The only thing giving it away were the lights on its front and sides, as well as the burning blue lights of its rear. Fish and other marine animals quickly moved out of its way as it slipped past them, silent and sure. It was a predator stalking its prey without a care or a cause in the world above. An artificial creation meant for the skies, but hidden beneath the ocean.

The Alien Space Vessel _Normandy_ slipped through the water as if it were flying. Its mass effect fields pushed the water molecules around it, keeping it silent, barely causing any noise. Its thrusters burning with a blue light as it glided through the darkness of the abyss.

In the helmsman's chair of the _Normandy,_ Martha watched the ocean floor through the ship's monitors, making sure not to hit anything along their course to the _Ocean Odyssey_. But one can't be too careful when checking the ocean floor. One wrong step or one wrong interpretation of a seamount would mean disaster for the people above. Looking at the ocean map next to her, Martha pinged the main Command Center of the bridge.

"Dr. Alenkov, we've just passed through the main Philippine basin and are nearing the island of Luzon in the Northern Philippines." Martha said.

" _What is our estimated time until arrival at the_ Ocean Odyssey _?"_ was the voice on the other end. Martha looked down at another monitor and the time it would take at their current speed.

"Two hours and thirty minutes, ma'am, we will have to slow down just north of the island due to seamounts," Martha replied as she estimated the time it would take to travel.

" _Understood,"_ was the reply on the other line. Once the line went dead, Martha leaned back and enjoyed the nonexistent view.

" _Martha, if I may?"_ EDI's voice filled the speakers to the side of her. The woman turned her head to look at the glowing blue orb beside her.

"What's up EDI?" she asked.

" _Earlier, when I had a conversation with Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds they mentioned another Artificial Intelligence named Cortana. I looked up her profile and found that she is a fictional character. Even the V.I. known as Siri seems to be more fictional to an actual A.I. like me why is that?"_ EDI asked.

Martha started laughing as she heard this declaration. Alongside her, Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds did the same thing. Just to the right of them was Jessica, who had joined the conversation and she, too, was laughing.

" _I don't see what is so funny about the situation?"_ EDI replied.

"Sorry EDI it is just that _Cortana_ is a character for a video game that many people love. She is the sidekick of the main character, meaning she is the one who helps the protagonist when they need it. As an A.I. she is able to hack into the computers of the alien species that she and Master Chief discover. If you haven't played Halo yet," said Martha as she was enjoying the conversation.

"As for Siri she was supposed to be an A.I. prototype that hasn't quite gotten the bugs out yet," replied Jessica.

" _I understand now, Siri is only a prototype of what would become a true A.I. but the technology has not advanced enough for her or it to be a true V.I.,"_ said EDI.

"What the fuck is a V.I.?" Major Lawoski asked, sounding a bit confused by the terminology that EDI used.

" _Virtual Intelligence, it is a step down from an Artificial Intelligence. V.I.'s are programmed to assist users and process data with clever programming to allow them to interact with the user on a personal level. Though not self-aware, the V.I. is programmed to assist in matters that pertains to its direct programming and like me, it can get out of hand,"_ EDI replied.

"Out of hand?" asked Major Reynolds with one eyebrow raised.

"She means she can go nuts and downright insane if something happens to her, haven't you watched Resident Evil or 2001 A Space Odyssey?" Martha replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Saw 2001 but never seen Resident Evil," Major Reynolds said looking at EDI with a bit of weariness.

"Creepy shit, I will tell you that, and I saw both of them with my grandkids," Major Lawoski replied, smirking. "In fact I even played the latest Halo game and cried at the end." They all then turned to stare at him in bewilderment. Major Lawoski shrugged his shoulders at the sight of them, "What?"

Martha smirked as she saw the seamounts come into view on her sensors. Slowing the ship down, she maneuvered through the underwater canyons and crags. Always avoiding the ones that lead to dry land. Trying to remain hidden was the top priority of the _Normandy_ and with the stealth systems up and operational she had no intention of accidentally setting off the alarm if she caused an underwater avalanche.

"Hey there lass, you seem to be getting the hang of this thing!" Major Lawoski said to Martha as she cleared another seamount. Martha snorted as she kept her eye on the front screens to avoid getting hit. Her hands on the holographic steering proved invaluable as her instincts came to play.

" _Your skills has improved immensely, Martha, despite your earlier nervousness,"_ EDI commented.

"Well, I've always wanted to fly a spaceship, but that was only in a video game though," Martha replied, looking at the charts, "Ok, we will be passing just north of Luzon near Calayan Island."

"Where is that, lass?" Major Reynolds asked her.

"Here," Martha replied and sent him the map, which he looked at and whistled, "So where is the fleet?" he asked.

" _The fleet is located about five hundred miles from the Vietnam coastline. It appears that it has stopped. Multiple vessels are engaged with it and appear to be in a blockade of sorts,"_ EDI replied.

"A blockade? Holy shit, what countries are involved?" asked Jessica who sat towards the back right hand side.

" _From the transmissions I had gathered the countries are United States, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia._ " EDI replied and got a reply in the form of another whistle. Turns out the whistle came from Martha.

"Any submarines in the area, EDI? You know, underwater vehicles?" Major Lawoski asked the A.I.

" _Checking transmissions…..several sonar sensors detected! Russian Alfa Class submarines is approaching the area, bearing 45 degrees north by north east from their location."_ EDI replied.

"Are they friendly ones, you know with the United Nations, or are they not so friendly?" asked Major Lawoski.

" _Transmissions are not Russian, they are in fact in Mandarin, the source of the origin of the submarine by my calculations is just off the coast of Dalian in Northern China. However, something is not right. For starters, the Chinese military has its own submarine arsenal and does not use Russian submarines. How they got their hands on Russian submarines is anyone's guess,"_ EDI replied.

"Things just get better and better," Jessica said and then turned on the intercom, "Dr. Alenkov, we just picked up a group of Russian Alfa-Class Submarines heading towards the blockade area. However, EDI has detected that the transmissions of the submarines are not in Russian but in Mandarin. She says that the Chinese don't own any Russian class submarines and that these ships are likely not here to help the U.N. in any way." she said adding to the last part.

" _Have EDI run a translation on their transmissions, I want to know what they want in these waters, if they are not here to help the U.N. secure the Odyssey,"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the intercom. It was some time before EDI finally broken through the transmissions. Her voice was a bit hesitant when she replied, but when she properly translated the transmissions and hacked into the submarine's computers things just got a turn for the worst.

" _Dr. Alenkov I am detecting multiple transmissions from the submarines. They appear as if they are going to attack the fleets,"_ EDI replied. This caused everyone on the bridge to look at each other in alarm: such an impact, they knew, could cause a war, and a war like that was not a thing to trifle with.

"EDI let me see those transmissions," said Major Reynolds and the A.I. let him listen in to the conversations and their translations. What he was hearing was grim.

"What is it?" Martha asked.

"Well, it looks like those bastards may not be an entire squad if these transmissions are correct." he said and with that he waved his hands and looked at a view of the subs compared to the fleet. Thanks to Normandy's more advanced sensors, they got a three-dimensional look at the ocean floor, along with the locations of all the ships in the area. Running with a few touches of the screen Major Reynolds managed to find and isolate the submarines.

"Dr. Alenkov I detect at least nine ships all of them running silent and all of them armed," Major Reynolds said on the intercom.

" _What kind of weapons do you think they have?"_ said another voice and Martha smirked at the voice of Hilary on the other end.

" _They mostly have torpedoes but from the readings I am getting looks like they had been modified to carry ballistics as well."_ said a voice that Martha knew was none other then Dr. Caradine who had taken up monitoring the ships on the surface.

"EDI, give me a readout of the weapons systems of the ship and, if they have it, a complete computer readout of their cybersystems," Martha said going into gamer mode for this expedition.

" _Acknowledged,"_ EDI's reply came as she went silent for a few seconds.

"I am still trying to figure out how this submarine class could still exist, because they were supposed to be decommissioned back in the 70's to the 90's. What the fuck happened?" Major Reynolds asked.

" _Ask the Chinese, because the last Russian sub was decommissioned in 1996,"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the speakers.

Martha who had been listening smirked, "Looks like someone's been stealing Russian and American submarine blueprints, because I am also detecting several American _Ohio_ class submarines, heading from the south at 25 degrees south by south west," she said and relayed the report to Dr. Alenkov.

COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER, NORMANDY

Dr. Alenkov looked at the map that Martha and EDI provided of the latest situation. The submarines are coming in from both directions, but both are relaying different languages. The Russian subs are relaying Mandarin and the American subs are relaying what she could describe as a cross between Indian and Swahili. Something is not adding up here. Her instincts with KGB instantly put her on alert as she tried to think of why they would do such a thing. Then it hit.

"EDI, run a translation of all the transmissions from the submarines and then trace the signal. I want to know who is in charge of these subs and I want to know the targets!" Dr. Alenkov ordered and she briefly heard an acknowledgment from EDI before the results were in.

" _I detected a signal, Dr. Alenkov, from all the submarines: the targets are the vast command ships in the fleets,"_ EDI said as multiple lights shone throughout the ship, showing multiple targets. Cursing, Dr. Alenkov turned towards the part of the holographic map that showed the fleets and the _Ocean Odyssey_. It seemed like someone was willing to help the pirates escape and that meant to attack the fleets head on.

"Dr. Alenkov?" someone asked and she turned to see Ichigo sitting at his station to the side.

"Get me an open line to all the ships and have it translated," she said and when Ichigo went to try his head shot back up in shock, "It's jammed!" he said.

"EDI?" she said.

" _I detect a jamming signal to all ships, disabling their long distance transmissions. The ships don't know that their feeds are being tapped into and still believe that they are able to transmit out."_ came the voice of the A.I.

"Are we able to hack into their systems?" she asked the computer.

" _I am able to do so with limited success, due to the fact that most of the technology on the submarines is very old and lacks high-end electronic software,"_ EDI replied. This earned another curse from Alenkov.

" _Dr. Alenkov?"_ this time it was Major Reynolds who spoke from his seat next to Martha. Dr. Alenkov was instantly alert from her station behind the hologram of the Normandy. However, the image currently in front of her was of the entire battle group surrounding the _Ocean Odyssey_ both above and below the ocean. She was also looking at the wider map of the area near Vietnam with the submarines coming from both the north and the south. She did not like the odds or the numbers.

"Major Lawoski you spent time with the C.I.A. is that correct?" she asked.

" _Yes ma'am, I was a helicopter pilot before I became an analyst. But I did spend about twenty years with the C.I.A. Why do you ask?"_ he said and she smirked.

"You stated that the submarines are both American and Russian subs is that correct?" she said now she started to piece together the puzzle.

" _Yeah, with Chinese from the Russian side but the strange part is, the American side is multilingual meaning either someone does not want anyone to know who was driving the subs…."_

"Or someone is trying to purposely use the American subs as decoys to lure the other fleets into attacking each other," Dr. Alenkov finished.

"But Dr. Alenkov how are we going to deal with this?" asked Dr. Jenkins who was off to the side, looking at one of the side viewing screens. He was assigned to be ship's tech analyst, since both Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson are both below in the lower decks.

"Both submarine groups are currently outside of the fleet's sonar range. And, then again, so are we. We need to figure out which ships are they targeting first and if they are running silent. EDI, do your sensors detect sound better than the fleet's sonar?" she asked the A.I.

" _My sensors do indicate many sound waves in the ocean so far, Dr. Alenkov. Give me a moment to isolate the sound waves you are looking for…..I have located the submarines signature sound signals. They are currently running silent without sonar or passive sonar. They are also running at the deepest levels near crushing depths. If they are planning an attack they are trying to go for a stealth approach,"_ EDI said to Dr. Alenkov.

"Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds, did you hear that?" she said.

" _Loud and clear Dr. Alenkov,"_ both said at the same time.

"Dr. Alenkov, if I may?" said Hilary from her station to the left side of the holographic interface.

"Alright Dr. Ballard, let's hear what you have to say," Alenkov said, turning to Hilary. The dark skinned woman shifted her feet a bit before replying.

"You said that the two submarine groups are running silent, yes?" she said curiously.

"Yes, they are running silent. It means they are hunting. And from what EDI is telling us, they are targeting the main command vessels of each fleet. Most of them are aircraft carriers with the exception of a few countries. That means the largest ships would be the ones who become the prime targets. However, given the class of the submarines, if the other fleets see them or hear them they can identify who it is and the blame goes to that country," said Hilary.

"Indeed, Dr. Ballard, were you in any military service?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"No Ma'am, my brother was in the Navy, that is where I got my interest in marine biology," she said. Now this, Dr. Alenkov didn't know, as she was aware that Hilary had family members that were in the military service. But she did not know which branch or which unit the family members served. Now, however, she would have to look into it further, but now is not the right moment.

"So what are you thinking, Dr. Ballard, besides the obvious?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"Well, since they are running silent, that means they are trying to limit their sounds. So what if…." she said and then she had a look on her face to say that she was embarrassed talking about it to a military officer. Dr. Alenkov smirked, "You are free to speak Dr. Ballard, this is not a military vessel."

Hilary nodded, "Well, when some marine animals hunt, like orcas for example, they use sonar to find their prey. When that prey is located, they go silent to hide their presence before striking. However, other species, such as great white sharks, use a method that involves diving to depth before shooting out underneath their prey both surprising it, and killing it at the same time. What if we employ the same method of silent hunting on _them_." she said.

"Go on," Dr. Alenkov said to her.

"Well, why don't we use a method that is similar to that of a humpback whale. They dive deep, like the great white, but instead of shooting up and killing their prey in silence, they use a method that uses bubbles as a sort of net. But instead of bubbles we use their own communications against them. While at the same time, EDI and Jessica work a way around the signal jamming and deal with the problem of the fleets," Hilary said.

"It is possible, Dr. Alenkov, since they are unable to communicate with the outside," said Dr. Jenkins.

Dr. Alenkov looked down at the holographic map displayed below her. She could see the subs closing in and the communication's bubbles that each one had over them, giving real-time translations and feeds. Her mind was thinking as she widened the view to include the Normandy, which was still an hour's way out of active sonar range. However a thought came to her, "Jessica?" she asked.

" _Yes, Dr. Alenkov?"_ was the answer.

"Isolate the transmissions from the submarines and bring up any transmissions from the fleets. I want to see what the outbound signals are and what we should be targeting. Then I want you to run that by Major Reynolds and Major Lawoski. Martha, all-stop once you've cleared the sea mounts. I don't want us to be discovered yet, and take us to the bottom, but not touching the ground. I think I have a plan," she said and walked away.

LATER

In the main meeting room, which was just off from the C.I.C. and in a narrow hallway between the weapons room and the laboratory, Dr. Alenkov stood with Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds, Hilary, Jessica, and Dr. Jenkins. They all wanted the same thing and that was to stop the submarines from possibly starting a war. Chairs were provided and the table lowered to allow them to use it while sitting. Even though it could be lowered to a more flat platform, this way, it could be used to help with papers being shuffled around on it.

"Alright, here is what we know so far about the submarines," Dr. Alenkov said as she produced a holographic map on the table. "The _Ocean Odyssey_ is in a full stop here, just five hundred miles off the coast of Nah Trang in Vietnam. The naval fleets of several nations are stationed near the area and around the Odyssey. But due to the weapons the pirates installed in a recent resupply, they are well protected. However, they are also trapped and it would have been a matter of time before they do something desperate. In the recent 72 hours, they started killing hostages to keep the boats at bay. Each member of that crew is vital and so far, only six have been killed and that number is rising. Every attempt to rescue them, according to EDI's communications tap, has failed. The enemy submarines are located on two sides, here and here," she said pointing to the map where the two images of the submarines are located and the depth they are in.

"Somehow, whoever had acquired these submarines, had done so in a way that both the Americans and the Russians failed to notice. But my question is that why are they using Chinese, Indian, and from the latest communications report Swahili transmissions? That is what I would like to know," she said.

"Maybe they are not from any nation Dr. Alenkov?" said Major Reynolds. The British man was sitting straight as he held a report in his hand.

"What do you have for me Major?" she asked curious.

"Well, I was thinking that it can't be a possibility that both of these groups carry both American and Russian subs. But the direction of the submarines is wrong," he said and pointed to the North where the Russian Alfa Class Submarines are located.

"If they were from China and the communications is in Mandarin, they would have been broadcasting orders from the top. However I had EDI go through the translations and something does not make sense to me," he said and passed the folder to Dr. Alenkov. The woman read the folder and her eyebrows were raised.

"Are you sure about this?" she said.

"I'm positive. The signals on the submarine are wrong. They are lines from a Chinese military movie that I remember watching once on a website with my son a few years ago. I was watching that movie again during my downtime and I remember those lines well. When I heard the communications I had to re-watch the movie and well...this is what I found," he said and she turned to Jessica, "What about the American submarines?" she asked.

"When Major Reynolds told me about the Russian Submarines, I had to do the same for the Americans, and sure enough the signals are the same as well. The only exception was that the movie that is playing is The Hunt for Red October in both Russian and English," Jessica replied.

"So they are using lines from two movies to hide their signals meaning they must have some other form of communications. How goes the signals from the fleet?" she asked.

"We found one and it not the fleet, it's the _Odyssey_ ," said Major Lawoski.

"The _Odyssey_ is broadcasting the signals?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"Yes, we think they are using this as a form of giving orders to the subs to hide the targeting. EDI and I managed to get a breakdown of the communications being broadcast and analyzed where they are coming from and what is being said. This is the result," he passed another paper to her and she smirked.

"Very clever of them," she said as she read through the file. When she was done she turned towards the wall and then back towards the group.

"EDI, run a subliminal signal analysis I want to know what is under the layers of crap they put up?" Dr. Alenkov said and there was a brief bout of noise before the signals changed.

" _ **Mission is clear break off the blockade and then secure the Ocean Odyssey. Once we are clear head south and then North towards Hainan. The fleets will be too busy to fight themselves once we put signals that make it seem like the Russians and the Americans wanted to start a fight. When we sunk the other fleets they will be too busy fighting each other to notice the Odyssey's escape."**_

" _ **Negative, negative they have active sonar looking for possible submarine interference, do we use ballistic missiles?"**_

" _ **Negative the higher ups will be pissed we screwed this up. Tao-Yun expects us to pick them up and we are going to do that by keeping them in one piece,"**_

" _ **No, we stick to the plan we need to ensure that the fleets are fighting themselves before we make our move. Remember our mission is to cause chaos and maybe start a war in the process. With everyone fighting each other we can slip away with the world's biggest prize,"**_ that was the end of the transmission before it got to more mundane stuff. Everyone in the room was bewildered by the sounds of the voices coming from the submarines. The communications are tight but from what they translated Dr. Alenkov was far from pleased at this point and she was not about to let that go in silence.

"Those _Sukin syn_ assholes!" she said standing up and glaring at the two highlighted forms.

"I would say the same, that is fucked up," said Dr. Jenkins.

"They are targeting the fleets with a very stupid plan," said Major Reynolds.

"Hey, sometimes the best plans are the very stupid ones," said Major Lawoski who shrugged and the British man rolled his eyes at his American counterpart. But when Dr. Alenkov directed a glare at them, the men shut up. Everyone was solemn as they looked at the moving holographic map it was Hilary who noticed the change.

"The one from the South has picked up speed, do you see that?" she said pointing to the holographic form of the American submarines. They did indeed start to look like they were coming in faster. And from the sound of it, going silent at that depth means in her mind that they are going for a silent run. The only thing that does not make sense is that in order to hit the aircraft carriers they would have to hit it at an angle from far below. That is too much to ask for such a crushing depth….unless.

"EDI do you think they are carrying any sort of Alien technology with them?" Dr. Alenkov asked, and everyone by the table turned to her.

" _It is possible, but I do not detect alien technology. However, if they had reverse-engineered any of the Normandy's technology in what little they could scavenge, then it might be possible it is why they have avoided detection so far,"_ EDI replied and Dr. Alenkov had to think about it before another thought came to her mind.

"Dr. Alenkov, the message I noticed is incomplete. Is this not a full translation?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"No it is not, EDI was only able to get part of the message because of the interference given by the fake transmissions. It will take time before we can get a full analysis," Major Lawoski replied as he looked at the map.

"Dr. Ballard, you are the marine biology expert here. In order for an attack to happen on any sort of marine life from below, what are the key things the predator has to have to avoid detection?" she asked.

"They would need camouflage, for starters. A good tactic for sneaking up on prey in a three-dimensional environment. Some ways to detect the prey are sonar, lateral lines, a good sense of smell or keen eyesight, why?" she asked.

"I have a hunch, but these people are stupid if they think that someone is going to fall for something as simple as that. We need to know what's the real purpose here and in order to do that we need to know _exactly_ why they are going to attack the fleets," Dr. Alenkov said.

"Got it, they are going for the alpha!" Hilary said and the others looked at each other confused. Hillary rolled her eyes as she explained, "In an orca pod, the leader of the group is known as the matriarch, because it is usually the alpha females who lead the group. They are the oldest and wisest females and they are the ones who normally are the mothers or grandmothers of most of the pod. The matriarch is the one who knows where the best hunting spots are and the best hunting tactics. Maybe it is the same for the subs. If we find out why they are attacking then maybe we can find out what is going on," she said.

"But first we need to find the sub and we need to deal with the other subs while we are at it, mate. Find the alpha and then get rid of the rest," said Major Reynolds.

"Good, but first, we need to figure out a way around the jamming and alert the fleets. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. As of right now, we need to clear our heads, and in the meantime Major Reynolds, Major Lawoski I need you both to inspect the combat gear in the lower decks. EDI has shown me earlier the combat armor you will be using when facing the men on the _Odyssey_. I will have Ichigo and Lucas take over your duties in the cockpit. That way, at least Martha will have someone other than Jessica to keep her company," she said and with a smirk on her face. Jessica made a face but it went unnoticed by Dr. Alenkov.

"Other than that, you are dismissed," she said getting up from her seat. The others followed as they too exited the room.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

Now the Admiral was worried as he tried once again to get the Pentagon on the line with no results. Instead, he had been stonewalled by bureaucracy and politics at its finest. The person in charge told him that he has to wait with everyone else. That was ridiculous on all levels as they saw another ship go down with another blast from the _Odyssey_ 's rail gun. This was one of the things that was reverse-engineered from the alien ship. But it was twenty years of dedicated research that the United States military was working on but the results were less than satisfactory then.

So how the hell did the pirates get their hands on a working gun?

"Admiral, they are going to kill another hostage again," said the captain of the vessel. The admiral cursed as he looked through his binoculars. Ever since he came aboard the vessel, it has been one disaster after another. He spotted several people being killed by the men and their bodies thrown to the sharks that waited below to feed. He had to look away when it happened and when it did he was not too pleased by the results. He could just hear their screams in his sleep and anything he tries to do would only end up in disaster.

"Sir, I have the Admiral of the Chinese fleet on the line sir." He turned towards his men and asked him to send the call to his cabin. With a quick 'Aye, aye,' he walked away.

MEANWHILE

The Captain of the _U.S.S. ALASKA_ was worried for his commanding officer. The Admiral looked tired and exhausted as he walked away from yet another slaughter. Taking a deep breath, the Captain looked out as the battle group just waited in silence. Many of them tried to get the ship in front of them to surrender, but with the advanced weaponry onboard, it was hard. But still, they could give the weapons credit, they are slow to recharge, and that gave them time. However, the shields and the pirates themselves with their smaller weapons is another problem. The ship's sensors made it so they can't get close, even with a submarine, to deal with them. The shields prevented any artillery from harming them. It was basically a fortress in the ocean. The only thing that could probably compare to that would be the alien vessel itself. But he had never been on it, so he had no idea what is happening.

"Sonar, anything new?" he asked his specialist and the man shook his head, "Nothing sir, they are still just floating there quietly and the other fleets are also holding their position," he said. Cursing his luck, he knew that this would be a long siege, but not this long. They needed supplies soon and fuel, if this was to keep going on. When the Admiral came back onto the deck and the Petty Officer made the call he, looked grim.

"Any news sir," he said.

"No, and the Chinese are calling for a supply run to allow ships to give us some much needed supplies. They are willing to share since Hainan is closest," he said.

"That's good to hear sir," said the Captain. He was skeptical at first of the Chinese, but when it comes to a common enemy they knew that something like this would happen. They would all have to share if they want this siege to keep going.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Tao-Yun grinned when he got off the phone with his cohorts underwater. Finally, after three months of this bullshit, they are nearing their end. Their backup was on their way and all they had to do was wait. His lieutenant quickly ran up to him and handed him a piece of paper written in Cantonese. He quickly read through it before smirking.

" _Finally some good news!"_ he said and quickly told the subordinate to spread the word. The man quickly ran off to tell the others. Many of them cheered as they could not wait to return home. However, Tao-Yun was still a man who waits till the job is done and quickly ordered his men to begin preparing for a large break out. For once the signal is given, he and his men would be able to sail freely away from the blockade and head directly towards the mainland to disappear. But all they need is time to prepare.

" _I want every ordnance available now! Get the main rail gun ready for rapid fire. I want all the hostages on the deck for final departure!"_ he began to order his men. As they ran to get things done, he turned towards the blockade, smirking. If things go as planned, he can make a clean getaway while the fleets fight among themselves. It was a staged event willing to happen and he would be ready when it does.

 _NORMANDY_

" _Dr. Alenkov, I've managed to finally get a full translation of the transmissions as well as received a recent transmission from the_ Ocean Odyssey _,"_ EDI's voice said and Dr. Alenkov, who was on the platform overlooking the holographic display in front of her lifted her head. "Play the transmissions so that everyone can hear," she said.

" _Acknowledged,"_ was the reply.

" _ **The mission is clear, Units three and five will break off the blockade, remember use only American and Russian transmissions understood?"**_

" _ **Understood,"**_

" _ **Good, Unit seven will come in from below deal with the main targets. The ships specified on your files are the main objectives. Target The command ships, take them out and then secure the Ocean Odyssey. Once we are clear head south towards Nha Trang and then head north east back towards the Philippines, but just before you enter their waters swing north by northwest towards Hainan."**_

" _ **What about the fleets?"**_

" _ **The fleets will be too busy fighting themselves once we put signals that make it seem like the Russians and the Americans wanted to start a fight. When we've sunk them, the other fleets will be too busy fighting each other to notice the Odyssey's escape."**_

" _ **And if one should see through our disguise?"**_

" _ **Sir I am detecting a signal...one of the fleets is sending active sonar sir. It's an American Sub, Do we fire torpedoes?"**_

" _ **Negative, negative if they have active sonar they are looking for possible submarines sir do we use ballistic missiles?"**_

" _ **Negative the higher ups will be pissed we screwed this up. Tao-Yun expects us to pick them up and we are going to do that by keeping them in one piece,"**_

" _ **Tao-Yun? What about Wilcox what will she do once she finds out this is one big fuck up?"**_

" _ **We need to come up with something this plan will backfire if it goes wrong,"**_

" _ **No, we stick to the plan we need to ensure that the fleets are fighting themselves before we make our move. Remember our mission is to cause chaos and maybe start a war in the process. With everyone fighting each other we can slip away with the world's biggest prize,"**_

" _ **Sir, incoming transmission its the Ocean Odyssey sir,"**_

" _ **Patch her through,"**_

" _ **Peluci you took your sweet ass time to bail me out!"**_

" _ **Take it easy Tao-Yun we had to make our way out of Cambodia to get to you. Driving these submarines is not easy to keep undetected especially since they are equipped with specialized state of the art stealth equipment. It was lucky for us that Cambodia doesn't have the right detection equipment like the Russians or the Americans have. So we were able to avoid them. But this will be a first test of the new stealth equipment on a fleet as advanced as this,"**_

" _ **Is the other fleet here?"**_

" _ **Yes, they are on the north side of the armada just waiting for my orders. I am going to attack first hitting the Americans from the south. Lucien is going to come at us from the north and attack the Chinese and Korean fleets hitting the command centers before taking our time with the smaller ships. But we probably will only pick up pieces after the ballistic missiles have been launched."**_

" _ **What do you want me to do?"**_

" _ **Use that rail gun of yours to hit the American Command ship. My sources tell me it is a ship called the U.S.S. ALASKA a flag ship of sorts. Kill that creature and the rest will follow. The Yoshimune, The Tien Feng, Badaui Cheonyeo**_ _ **,**_ _ **Malacca, The Ho Chi Minh, and the Bangkok kill them and blame the conflict between the Americans and the Russians and we go**_ _ **t**_ _ **ourselves a way out."**_

" _ **Mainly the Americans,"**_

" _ **Yes, the American ship will probably be one of the biggest. Kill that bitch and the other command ships will start firing on you but the shield will keep you safe. We will take care of the other ships. They won't know what hit them if they can't see or hear us,"**_

" _ **Understood what will I do with the hostages? I was told to keep them alive but I have been killing the ones that are not scientists or engineers. We are running out and so far killing them has kept them at bay."**_

" _ **Do what you have to but remember to keep the important ones alive along with the research that the ship provides. Their lives are worth more then your pathetic hide if you fail Tao-Yun. My investors and my superiors won't be pleased,"**_

" _ **I understand, Tao-Yun out,"**_

Everyone on the bridge listened to the message and after it, the silence was kept at bay only by the sound of the ship's systems. Dr. Alenkov had a very dark look on her face when she heard that message, and she along with the others onboard felt that feeling too. It was something that can't be ignored and they are the only ones who can do something about it.

"Is that all the message, EDI?" she asked, her voice choked with rage.

" _The translation was complete this time Dr. Alenkov. What was translated was what you heard. The most recent translation happened just twenty minutes ago,"_ EDI's voice came over the loud speakers.

She looked down at the hologram and saw the submarines still heading directly towards the fleet. All of them are surrounded, but because of the shields, they can't detect what is going on. They couldn't see them, but the _Normandy,_ with its far superior sensors, could.

"What about the jamming signal?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"We don't know and it will take too long," Dr. Alenkov said.

" _Perhaps I should look at it,"_ said Major Lawoski from his station in the cockpit.

"Major?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

" _I was an analyst for the C.I.A. so part of my job was decoding messages. If I can isolate the signals, then perhaps I can find the ship that is causing it. How long do we have?"_ he asked.

"Time estimates say about three hours give or take. The Normandy can make it there in one and a half hours on full speed," said Dr. Jenkins.

" _Alright, let me see what I can do, give me an hour,"_ he said.

"Alright, you have one hour, but when we go into action, it will be cutting it close," Dr. Alenkov replied.

NORMANDY COCKPIT

Martha watched as Major Lawoski worked from his station, typing away at the console like his life depended on it. He was looking at a hologram of the ships and their signals but he wanted to be frustrated with everything.

"You ok?" she asked.

He hissed as he turned to her and Martha drew back in fright, "Sorry," he replied and he slowly let out whatever breath he was holding.

"Need help with that?" she asked.

"No, no I need to do this, but it has been years since I left the C.I.A." Major Lawoski replied.

"Why did you leave?" Martha asked curiously as she sat there, going over the controls.

"I wanted to move around more, I guess. I mean, I knew everyone's dirty little secret and had that sort of blackmail right at my fingertips. But then, unlike that jackass Snowden, I had no intention of letting everyone else know. I guess everyone is entitled to their secrets." he said shrugging.

"So why didn't you transfer to be a field agent?" Martha asked.

"I never wanted that sort of action. I was not an action guy. I wanted the quiet and the silence." At this he laughed, "I was never the James Bond type of guy."

Martha started laughing as she turned towards Major Reynolds, "So what about you? First, Dr. Alenkov is revealed to be ex-K.G.B. and then Major Lawoski is C.I.A. And, what, you are M.I.6?" she asked.

"Nah, was never in the organization love, was an air force man true and true. Was always a fighter pilot for the Royal Air Force till I was assigned to the Normandy. I thought it would be a nice boring retirement for me. But then again, after you arrived things had been getting a bit too exciting for me mate," he finished laughing.

"Really? Did I ruin your vacation time?" Martha asked.

"Nah, I was getting bored this is just in the middle for me," he replied, then turned his chair to look at Jessica a her station, "Come on love, since we are here, sharing each others' secrets, why don't you share yours?" Major Reynolds said with curiosity.

"What can I say I am a typical white valley girl straight from the upside of Hollywood. My parents grew up in Beverly Hills and I went to private school. Nothing major and all boring," she said not saying anything else.

"Ah, come off it lass we are all here sharing each other's dirty secrets why not share?" he said jokingly.

Jessica rolled her eyes as she replied, "Ok, ok my family didn't have a screwed up life. We lived happily in Hollywood my mom is a businesswoman who sells makeup for some beauty firm. My dad is a lawyer, typical wealthy family, very boring life," she sounded bitter.

"You sound bored, sweetheart," said Major Lawoski, trying to mimic Major Reynold's British accent only for the other man to throw something at him laughing, "You suck at it and you know it, so why bother," he said.

"Hey man, just trying to cheer little miss Jessie up after all. Us Californians need to make sure that we look out for each other," he said laughing.

"Ok, ok folks back to work now," Jessica said as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm already done," said Major Lawoski, and presented the holographic chart for them to view. On it was the entire fleet, all of them with different colors.

" _Major Lawoski, status report!"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the intercom.

"I've finished what I could analyze captain, and I am sending it to you now," he said and, with a press of a button, it was sent. He kept the full copy for himself, but allowed himself a smirk of satisfaction.

"Asshole," Jessica said and Martha had to laugh at them.

NORMANDY COMBAT COMMAND CENTER

Dr. Alenkov looked at the colored patches in front of her. From what she could see, the signals were all identical. But the jamming signal was the only one glowing gold in a sea of blues, reds, greens, oranges and whites.

"So you are telling me that the jamming signal is coming from the Odyssey itself?" she said dumbfounded.

" _Yeah, that is basically it doc, what we thought were the ship giving orders turns out to be the jamming signal,"_ said Major Lawoski on the comm.

"Alright, we know what to do now," she said as she stood up straight.

"Everyone listen up! I know that you're tired and want to, more than anything, go home. But we have to fight for our fellows here. The Ocean Odyssey is our sister ship. She gave us food, water and supplies while we were down there at the bottom. So, when she needs us the most we will be there to save her. The other ships have no idea what kind of danger they are in, and they have no idea what sort of war this will cause. But I will tell you this; these fucking bastards, these _Govnosos_ assholes, are not going to ruin our lives anymore. We have the very thing they are fighting over. And we will use its power to end this madness once and for all! I am not a tyrant, but I will not stand by and let someone destroy anymore innocent lives, who is with me!" she said and with the shout of her voice everyone cheered from within the C.I.C. to the intercoms below. She stood up proud.

"Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds prepare your men for combat; once we are through the submarines your men will be needed," she said.

At the sound of running feet, both men raced towards the elevator to get down to the lower decks where the armory was located. Several other men joined them, all of them from the security teams.

"Mr. Yamata, Mr. Bridger, you are to report to the bridge. You will be taking over Major Lawoski and Major Reynold's stations. Martha, fire up the engines and prepare for the assault, full stealth mode," Dr. Alenkov stated.

"Dr. Jenkins, I will leave you in charge of trying to deactivate that signal," she said and with a nod, the man got to work, "EDI, you will work with him to help deactivate the signal."

" _Understood,"_ was the reply from EDI.

"Everyone else, to your stations and prepare for battle. Sound the alert," she said and immediately an alarm went off as everyone rushed to get to their stations.

NORMANDY BRIDGE

Martha began to quickly activate the ship once again by firing up the engines. Both Ichigo and Lucas entered the bridge and went to their separate stations on either side of her. Jessica remained as she was at the communications, while the two gotten their stations online.

"Main thrusters online and engaged," Martha said as she engaged the thrusters and felt the ship move under her. The sounds that came from the engine filled her as she could feel the ship's need to protect. The power that the Normandy has was immense as the seabed below her started to move and they started to make their approach.

"Stealth systems online in 3…..2…...1….ENGAGE!"

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Tao-Yun was pleased that things were finally going to plan. His investors didn't abandon him after all!

He read the report and talked to the submarine captains before making the final plans on breaking through the assault. The jamming signal was working wonders on keeping the fleets busy. Their confusing messages were something that had him laughing at the idiocy of the world's military. Broadcasting their plans was pure genius on his part and the computers he has on his side were worth the effort. The billions his buyers were paying him were going to make him the richest man in the world. But first, there was a thing to do about the hostages.

He turned his head to the people he had left on the massive ship. The research vessel housed a helicopter pad that was empty, leaving everyone floating there on the surging swells. The winds had started to pick up again, but it was the norm in Southeast Asia. His original meeting place in the Philippines did not go as planned. Luckily for him, his contractor had already thought about that when they signed up for the job. The second point was ruined with the blockade and that left the third in China.

" _Prepare the hostages and gather all the remaining weaponry. We will target one of the command boats. That will give our guys time to get in and get us out!"_ he said to them and his men quickly moved to bring out the hostages. Tao-Yun then turned to his lieutenant, _"Make sure that there are no more enemy submarines in the area. We don't need them to engage our boys by mistake,"_ he said and the man quickly rushed off.

When he returned, he had the hostages all gathered on deck as he walked up and down inspecting all those that are left.

"It seems to me that I had killed a few of you. Though my contract says that you are not to be harmed, it didn't specify if it was scientists, engineers, or all of you. So, I took the liberty to take a few of you off the deck for a swim with the sharks. Now, I looked at a few of you and saw your profiles as to what you are on this vessel. The reason why I kept you alive is because my employer demands it. I will not be paid if you are all dead, so tell me, which one of you gets to die first," he said laughing.

MEANWHILE

Enrique and Micheal both looked on with nervousness as Tao-Yun taunted them with his plans. He sounded like a cartoon character when he did this, making this situation a bit more uneasy with each passing minute.

"Micheal, _amigo,_ tell me, does that fool think we are idiots?" he asked the filmmaker. Micheal looked at Tao-Yun's retreating form with nervousness as he walked up and down the deck, inspecting them all.

"No, he is hiding something, I know it. I bet it has something to do with the naval ships. I think he has a backup plan," he said.

"Are you sure?" Enrique replied.

"Yes, he has a plan and it is not good. He seems awfully happy about it I just hope that whatever it is backfires in his face so badly that….." Micheal was interrupted, hit from behind by a rifle butt. Micheal went down on his hands and knees. With his hands tied he could not lift them up to see if he has a cut or a bump in the back of his head. The man who did it shouted at him, drawing attention to both of them when Tao-Yun turned around. Walking towards them, he eyed them up and down, noticing that they were in fact with the submarine pilots.

The man who hit Micheal spoke to Tao-Yun in rapid Cantonese. The man nodded as he smirked at them. Then, with a jerk of his hand, the man picked up Micheal from behind and dragged him towards the makeshift plank. Knowing his fate, Micheal wished for his wife to know that he loved her and wants to be with her again. But instead of tossing him overboard of even shooting him, his shirt was ripped from behind and the first man started to beat him.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

"Sir, they had just moved one of the hostages to the plank sir," said the Captain as the Admiral made his way back onto the main deck. He took the binoculars to see for himself what was going on, and to say he was not happy would be an understatement.

"Status?" he asked.

"Looks like they are beating him sir instead of outright killing him," the Captain replied.

The Admiral looked at his reports again and swore. He took a look at the person's profile from the list of crew members onboard the _Odyssey_ and to say that he was a key crew member was an understatement.

"Micheal Cameron, filmmaker and photographer, was chosen for this expedition to do an underwater documentary of the alien vessel. Was certified as a submarine pilot and became a full member of the crew in 2007. Has been a crucial part of controlling the media feeds for several years. His documentary of the Alien Vessel and her effects on marine life has won him several awards, including a Sundance Award in Canada. OK so this guy is one of the pilots. They are going to waste a valuable resource when they should be treating him better," he said turning to his persons.

"Sir, still no signs of getting through to the pentagon or the president," said the Comms officer.

"Why the fuck is the President not responding!" he said out loud to someone.

"We don't know, but they seem to be quoting some sort of poem sir," the Comms officer said.

"Let me hear that," he said and got on the line. However, what he heard suddenly made his cursing a bit more then normal. It was then that the light of dawn finally reached his brain and he slammed the phone down on the handle so hard that it nearly cracked the handle.

"Sons of bitches have jammed us!" he said looking around, "Someone get the other fleets online, ask if they are hearing weird quotes from their governments as well," he said and the man quickly went through to check up on the fleets.

"Sir, confirmation on all fleets sir!" he said as he came back into the room.

"Are you sure?" he said.

"Yeah, someone thought to use Morse Code with their lights. I think it was the Koreans sir," said the executive officer in charge. He was a young man of mixed descent. He was short in stature but he was skilled in communications. That is why he was assigned to the _Alaska_ 's communications section of the bridge. The Admiral quickly rushed out and looked through his binoculars.

Sure enough, someone was flashing something... a mirror? He zoomed in and, sure enough, someone was using a mirror to reflect a message. Thankfully morse code is taught at the naval academy and he also learned it when he took an interest in it. The same probably could be said about the Koreans.

"What does it say, sir?" asked the Captain who had come to join him.

"It says, 'Do not trust the transmissions, false feeds are being given," The Admiral said, turning back towards them and then to the Comms officer.

"Alright, send a message back in Morse Code using the same method. Tell the Koreans that we understand them and that we got the message," he stated.

"Aye, Aye sir," said the Comms officer as he got a small mirror out to use. He also got flags out to use as a signal as well.

SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF THE BLOCKADE

A group of American _Ohio_ Class submarines made their way towards the fleet and the blockade that kept the _Ocean Odyssey_ from making its escape into Vietnam waters. At the head of the submarine fleet, a single sub was leading the charge. Its name was far from American as it was not American made. Instead it was made in Cambodia and the name D _av Robsa Sthansuokr_ which means ' _Heaven's Blade'_ in Cambodian, was the head of the fleet. This clever plan of there's to use American technology to duplicate these submarines was pure genius. At her helm was the man in charge. He was dressed in white and was of European Decent. He smiled as he looked at the radar screen.

" _Status?"_ he said in Cambodian. The man below him at the helm gave the report.

" _We are going to be in range in five minutes sir,"_ said the man, standing up straighter.

" _Good, keep me informed of what is going on. I will be in my cabin, giving my report to my superior,"_ he said before walking out of the room. The last part before he was out of hearing range was 'Aye, aye sir!"

When he had gotten into the cabin, he quickly shut the door, making sure no one was able to hear him. Once he sat down, he started to go over the reports of the course they would take and the plans he was to execute.

Just as he thought it, the phone rang from the side. He quickly booted up his computer and turned on the camera. There, a female face appeared with dark red hair and a tanned skin tone, though the tan looked fake and the hair, upon closer inspection, was a wig. The figure on the other side, however, was not someone that the person in charge was willing to cross.

" _Is everything proceeding as planned?"_ the woman asked; though her voice was speaking English, a translation was provided below. The man quickly read what was being said before answer.

" _Yes, ma'am everything is going smoothly. Soon we will have the_ Ocean Odyssey _and her research,"_ he replied to the woman. She smiled at him and he could see that she was wearing dark red umber lipstick.

" _Very good, keep me informed of the mission's success,"_ she said and the man nodded with an, ' _U_ _nderstood,'_ before closing the connection. Just as he leaned back into his chair, the Comms officer signaled over the P.A. that they were at their target. Getting up, he made his way towards the bridge to prepare for their final assault.

GONG TANG, HAINAN, CHINA

The connection was cut, leaving a woman smiling for the first time in months since her departure from the United States. After making several detours to get here to her safe house, Alexandria Wilcox sat there, smiling to herself. She was sure that her assignment to her superiors will help in getting the _Ocean Odyssey_ to them. By destroying the fleets and starting a war she was sure to profit from, the weapons she plans on creating with the stolen research, and as for the scientists? She had plans for them and the secrets they had uncovered.

She laughed to herself as she looked down at her painted nails. The alien vessel was a loss after they had stolen the _Odyssey_. But it will not be long before someone catches on. By then she would be long gone with her prize and everything they would have worked for was nothing but another pile of bodies. Alenkov may have gotten the best of her but Wilcox will not go down without a fight. She will make sure that she has the upper hand in ensuring that she comes out the victor.

She will do whatever it takes to ensure that she will be the one on top. Even if it means to kill every last one of the crew members of the alien vessel. She will wait till they are all dead and gone. By now they must have all gone mad and started to devour each other, making things a bit easier once she has the submersibles to get down there. Then, she can make off with as many artifacts as possible and collect on the weapons cache that is sure to be there. What ever little she can get, she will find, and once she finds it….she will be the one to call the shots and nothing can stop her.

TBC

 **A/n: wow things are really heating up now that you know what is going on. Alexandria Wilcox is back and badder then ever. So you have been warned. Oh and please remember to leave a review and no FLAMES, BASHINGS, OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! Thank you.**


	18. Battle for the Odyssey

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT THEY BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS!**

 **A/n: Alright folks as I said I was splitting the Chapter that originally was going to show the Normandy rising from the sea. Well since the original chapter was very short and not so enduring as far as chapters go I decided to split the chapter so it appears as if things are not going the way they should. Let me tell you this was one of my favorite parts of the story and to mess it up this badly in the original….well it needed some work. So here you go folks the undersea battle of Normandy vs. Submarines. And remember if you like the story then please leave a review and no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS, OR BASHINGS PLEASE! Thank you very much. I would also like to thank my ever so awesome beta for helping me out and making sure I stay as close to the lore as possible.**

 **WARNING ACTION AHEAD!**

 **So without further ado on with the next chapter of….**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 17: Battle for the Odyssey**

OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM

The captain of the Thai Naval Vessel, _Queen Sirikit_ was the first to notice something was not right with the blockade. In the early afternoon sun, he could see the ship he and his fleet of smaller war vessels came to block. The _Ocean Odyssey_ was a vessel many prized for its advanced technology and revolutions in human advancement. Its massive size dwarfs that of most warships but it is also smaller than the largest aircraft carrier the Americans and the Koreans have. It was something the captain of the vessel was not anticipating on guarding, even when the King of Thailand had ordered him and the Thai Navy into action.

" _Sir, is everything alright?"_ asked a subordinate when he noticed his commanding officer was staring off into the distance.

" _Something is coming, I can sense it,"_ he said looking at the ships in the distance. The unease in his gut was telling him to stand ready because something was about to happen.

" _Sir, it appears as if the jamming signal is still there. We had received a message from the Malaysian Command ship via Morse Code; they said to use Morse Code, Flag or mirror signals to pass along messages,"_ his communications officer said to him.

" _Very well, tell them thanks for the update, we will put it to use,"_ he said as he turned his vision towards the horizon again. The anticipation in his gut was still there; it was a lingering feeling of something. Like he was hunting in the jungles of Thailand right now, waiting for the chance to either run or kill his prey. But his unease made him feel as if _he_ was the hunted. The need to run and hide was all that was coursing through his veins right now and it was being felt throughout the ship.

" _Sir, we have submarines inbound, baring 0260, range 6.43 kilometers and closing fast!"_ the sonar officer said and the captain rushed towards the sonar to see for himself. Cursing, he rushed towards the communications officer, _"Get word to the fleets now!"_ he shouted. It was then that the sonar started shouting.

" _Sir, we have torpedoes inbound!"_ he said.

" _Launch countermeasures! And prepare for evasive maneuvers!"_ he yelled and everyone on bridge started moving while alarms started blaring in the rest of the ship. The captain then began to shout orders into his mouthpiece for a ship-wide broadcast. Everyone started running for their battlements as they prepared for battle.

" _What kind of ships are we dealing with?"_ he shouted to the sonar.

" _American Ohio-Class submarines, sir!"_ he said to the captain. At the captain's confused glance, he returned it, while more countermeasures were released and explosions could be seen. Looking out beyond the ship's bow, other ships were also going on the defensive. The other Thai ships were in the process of arming themselves when the first ship exploded. It was a Vietnamese ship that exploded to his right. The fire that consumed it was intense as the ship rapidly sank. Suddenly, the water was filled with explosions as several more ships started to get hit by more torpedoes. People started to scramble to get to battle stations and counter attack the enemy.

" _Why are the Americans attacking us!?"_ he shouted at the helmsman.

" _I don't know sir! But they are coming around…..sir they are targeting us!"_ said the sonar man.

" _I want countermeasures in the water and I want us to prepare to fire back! Deploy charges...let's draw the bastards to the surface!"_ he said and the men quickly got to work.

 _NORMANDY_

"Dr. Alenkov, submarines have started firing on the blockade," Martha said as she monitored the ships on the fleet and the ones that exploded.

"What is the situation with the other ships?"Dr. Alenkov asked as she stood behind Martha, her arms crossed as she saw the situation unfold.

"All ships are confused and are preparing their weapons for possible attack. They don't know what is going on, but the Thai seemed to think that the American's have attacked their ships." said Jessica from her station to the left of Martha.

"EDI?" Dr. Alenkov said.

" _Dr. Jenkins and I are working as fast as we can in unlocking the jamming signal. Major's Lawoski and Reynolds are stationed down at deck level with their men, ready for deployment,"_ EDI replied.

"I want all weapons online. I need torpedoes armed and ready, and bring the GARDIAN lasers to half power, we don't know what kind of firepower the Normandy has." Dr. Alenkov said to Ichigo, who sat at the weapons station. He powered up the lasers and asked Lucas if he could help with torpedoes. Lucas was more than happy to help. Flipping a few switches, both men looked as if they wanted to play in the arcade.

"Martha, bring us about the north side; I want to keep an eye on the Russian subs. The _Ohio-_ and _Alfa-_ Class subs are nuclear, so somehow, they have access to nuclear energy. Meaning, they know someone who has access to plutonium. We can't have those subs going off in the middle of the ocean. The radiation alone could kill everyone." said Dr. Alenkov.

" _Not quite, the Normandy's weapons should be able to vaporize the plutonium before the radiation has a chance to pollute the ocean. But we will have to be sure we want to do this,"_ EDI replied.

"Very well. Martha, how long till we reach the first target?" she asked.

"Ten minutes," Martha replied.

"Good, how far can the Normandy shoot?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

" _The Normandy's torpedoes can shoot a great distance and do not require the fuel tanks that a conventional torpedo uses. The torpedo itself is magnetic, which requires it to be in relatively close range in order for it to home in on a target. However, I can program it to target a single entity overriding its need to follow its own programming. That would make it harder to divert once fired. I can also predetonate it if you wish me to do so,"_ EDI said to Dr. Alenkov.

"Good. Martha, get us close and then Lucas, Ichigo target the torpedoes," she said, and a chorus of 'Aye, ayes' could be heard as she stared at the screen in front of her.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

"Sir! Torpedoes in the water, bearing 080 starboard side!" said the sonar officer in charge. Both the admiral and the captain rushed to the bridge just to see several ships being bombed including a Korean aircraft carrier.

"What about our own ships?" the admiral asked.

"The Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese ships think that we set them up sir," said the sonar officer.

"Sir, the Korean's and the Chinese are…. sir, I have multiple targets coming in at 0780 starboard side, detecting several Russian _Alfa-_ Class submarines heading towards us sir!" he said.

"Get me on the phone with Washington, now!" the admiral said and the person in charge of communications reached over to dial, but then, the ship suddenly shook.

"DAMAGE REPORT!" the captain roared.

"Damage contained to the port side! We just missed being hit by a torpedo, sir!" said the sonar officer.

"Why haven't you called it out!" the admiral shouted.

"Sir, it was not on screen, sir! We didn't see it!" said the sonar officer.

"That means that the torpedoes are not ocean-based, so where had they come from?" asked the captain, just as there was shouting from the deck as a crew member rushed in.

"BALISTIC MISSILES IN THE AIR, SIR!" someone shouted and quickly, the admiral rushed to see for himself. Sure enough, the water came alive with ballistic missiles, as one of the ships started to fire into the air.

"Sound the alarm and someone get me on the phone with Washington!" he said.

"Sir, the jamming signal is still operational, sir!" said the Comms officer.

"Damn it!" shouted the admiral in exasperation, before turning, "Get all birds into the air now!" he ordered.

The Captain quickly rushed towards the comms to get the orders out, only to get thrown back when another explosion hit. One of the missiles had hit the flight deck, causing a massive explosion and destroying several planes. Another missile hit near the base of the tower, causing a wall of flames to go into the air. A third explosion hit the control tower itself, causing the glass in front to shatter and a wall of flame to enter the room. Crew members scrambled to get to cover as fire and glass flew everywhere. Some never made it as bodies hit the floor. The Captain watched as the Admiral fell to the ground with his head leaving his body. He fortunately was able to get down in time along with the sonar officer in charge.

Getting up, he quickly yelled, "DAMAGE REPORT!"

"Sir, we are hit on the Starboard deck! We're also getting damage reports from the tower, sir!" said one of the other officers.

"What about our birds?" he asked.

"The ones above deck are gone, sir, all others below are stuck; the elevators are damaged. The tower also took a few hits, and the Admiral... sir, I am sorry sir, but the Admiral is gone," he said.

The captain looked at the headless body of the admiral along with several other men before looking up, "How many casualties?" he asked gravely.

"We don't know sir, we're still counting!" he said.

"Then get me a full report on our fleet now!" the captain ordered and the man quickly rushed to get the job done.

"Sir, the _Odyssey_ is starting heat up its weapons, sir!" said another officer.

"I want all personnel to prepare for possible impact!" the Captain called out and the man quickly relayed the orders. This left the Captain, who was still bleeding from a cut on his head, to slowly get up. He cursed when he sliced his hands on some broken glass, but he was still able to stand. Looking down, he was glad that he had ducked or else he would have suffered worse. Some of the other men, however, did not make it and he looked up to see for himself. The _Ocean Odyssey_ was powering up its weapons, if the light on its aft was anything to go by. The gun quickly hit one of the Chinese vessels, causing a massive explosion as the boat began to sink.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

The rear rail gun did wonders in hitting its target with deadly accuracy. The Chinese vessel was too busy trying to defend itself from the Koreans and the Japanese to think of looking towards the _Odyssey_.

" _Fire!"_ said Tao-Yun, and a beam of light made from molten metal collided with the ship, causing massive explosions as it quickly sunk, killing everyone onboard. The laughter from the pirates allowed them to start the engines to prepare for their departure.

" _Wait for the signal from the submarines, when I get it, we leave,"_ said Tao-Yun and the men quickly got to work.

Off to the side, Enrique and Micheal, who were still tied to the deck of the ship, watched as the blockade, a once organized solid front, now reduced to flames and missile attacks. The smoke and ruin of their ships was enough to have the men think of something that would get them out. But they had no idea what to do. Even Enrique's skills on the streets had no place on a ship full of seasoned pirates.

They watched in horror as the ships turned on each other, not knowing what is really going on.

"We have to do something!" Micheal said to Enrique.

"What can we do, a _migo?_ We can't go against them, they will kill us if we tried," he said.

"I don't know, but we got to do something!" Micheal said sounding desperate.

"All we can do is wait for the right opportunity, and then we get the fuck out of here," Enrique said and Micheal agreed, knowing that the chance of escape was futile, but they at least had to try. But coming up with a plan was not happening, as one of the guards noticed their conversation. Grabbing Micheal from behind, he dragged the filmmaker towards Tao-Yun, his steps hard and sure. Even with the rocking waters, the man knew how to walk on boats.

" _Sir, we caught this one talking to another. I think they were trying to plan an escape,"_ he said as he tossed Micheal down on the deck. Tao-Yun looked down at him, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Micheal's face.

Then recognition finally dawned on him like a lighting strike, _"I know you! You make movies for television. You filmed our fellows in Cambodia. Do you know what happened next?"_ he asked, getting in Micheal's face. Micheal struggled, not understanding what was being said, but a quick slap to the face held him.

" _The Government killed them! You showed their faces and now you will pay! One of them was my_ _ **brother!**_ _"_ Tao-Yun said as he hit Micheal again and again, till his face was bloody. Enrique, who was further back, watched in silence as the men continued to beat him. He wanted to jump in, to help him, to do anything to end this, but he was restrained by two armed men. He could do nothing.

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion that shook the ship. Everyone held on as the ship pitched and the alarms began to sound. The waves rocked the ship as further explosions took place underwater. Tao-Yun quickly rushed towards the side to see for himself what was going on. He and several other men quickly wanted to know what was happening.

" _Get me on the radio with the submarines now!"_ he said.

 _NORMANDY_

"We got 'em, Dr. Alenkov!" Lucas called out, having the time of his life shooting torpedoes.

"Stay focused! We have several more torpedoes to cut off," the doctor replied and turned towards the hologram in front of them.

"Martha, when I say turn off the stealth systems, do it!" she said, looking down at her pilot.

"Are you sure Dr. Alenkov? I mean, they will see us when we do so," Martha replied, sounding unsure of herself as the Russian lady put her hand on the seat.

"It is a scare tactic I want to play. Let them know we are here and that we are angry," she said and as she said it, Martha smiled a sly smile as she turned back towards the screens in front of her.

As she looked towards the screens Dr. Alenkov watched the submarines as they floated by. "Drop us out of stealth now!"

"Mama's very, very angry," Martha said laughing as she hit a few buttons, "Alright stealth mode to be dropped in three….two….one….drop!"

" _Stealth systems disengaged,"_ EDI reported as Martha steered them towards the American submarines. She could feel the Normandy's engines as they pushed her through the water. She was feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins as she dodged a torpedo.

"What the fucking movie is that line from?" asked Jessica as Martha steered them through a field of depth charges that were put out for the submarines.

"Lost World, Jurassic Park should watch it, valley girl!" Martha joked as she maneuvered the ship around another round of depth charges.

Major Lawoski chuckled over the comms. _"Must go faster, Must go faster!"_

" _Alert! Torpedoes inbound from multiple sources,"_ EDI announced and Martha looked at the monitors and saw that they came from the subs. Dr. Alenkov stood poised as always, but her eyes narrowed.

"Martha, steer directly towards the torpedoes, all thrusters full. Mr. Bridger, power up the Thanix Cannon, but only at a quarter power, I don't want to cause a massive explosion yet," she said.

"Thanix Cannon armed and online ma'am," said Lucas as he took controls while Martha steered the ship through the depth charges.

"EDI, how are the barriers holding up?" Dr. Alenkov asked the A.I.

" _Kinetic Barriers are holding at ninety nine percent,"_ EDI announced and Alenkov smiled, "Good. On my signal, Mr. Bridger, you are to open fire on the torpedoes,"

Lucas's onscreen readouts showed the torpedoes at ready while she waited, "Torpedoes inbound in twenty seconds….fifteen…..ten," he said

"Fire!" Alenkov ordered, and Martha watched the windows outside the ship light up as the Thanix Cannon fired. Then the ocean lit up as multiple torpedoes exploded. The ship didn't feel the aftershock, but Martha knew that the people above did and smiled to herself.

THAI NAVAL VESSEL _QUEEN SIRIKIT_

The captain held on as everyone onboard the vessel fell, when the sea suddenly burst, rocking the ship. Whatever was coming at them from the Northeast was coming fast and they caused a lot of damage.

" _Damage report!"_ he shouted to his second in command.

" _None sir, thank Buddha!"_ said the person nearest to the window.

" _Any casualties!?"_ He demanded and everyone scrambled to check, _"No casualties, but many are injured sir!"_ was the reply over the radio. The captain cursed as he quickly rushed over to the deck, followed by his men. Looking through a pair of binoculars, he watched as the blockade became a battleground of many different navies. Smoke filled the skies as many ships were sunk and many more under fire.

The American Command ship suffered heavy damage from torpedoes and it looked as if it was taking on water. Suddenly, someone started shouting and the captain rushed back onto the bridge.

" _What is it?"_ he asked.

" _Sir, something just showed up on sonar,"_ he said pointing to the screen. The captain looked, and his eyes widened to the point of stinging as he saw something approach from beneath him. Also on the other side were the American submarines, which had moved closer to the blockade with torpedoes occasionally going. This time, something **MASSIVE** is moving beneath the surface. Turning towards the sonar specialist, he demanded to know what was the depth of the object.

" _It is deeper than the submarines, but it just appeared out of nowhere as if it was there the whole time,"_ the Sonar person said over the radio.

" _Keep an eye on it, if it is friendly or not,"_ just as he said it the sonar personnel shouted, _"Torpedo inbound baring 090 Port aft it is coming right at us sir!,"_ said the sonar specialist.

" _Helmsmen, steer this ship at 60 degrees starboard and then again to port to try to evade the torpedo,"_ the captain demanded as the Helmsmen got to work trying to deter the torpedo. Suddenly the sonar specialist shouted, _"It has a lock on us impact in 30 seconds,"_ he shouted. The captain turned towards the man on the right, _"Deploy counter measures! Then steer us hard to port, all right rudder, all ahead full!"_ he said, and the man did as he was told, the sounds of countermeasures being deployed reassuring them somewhat. It was not long before the first torpedo hit the counter measure. However, three more were reported by sonar, heading directly towards them. The captain ordered them to again deploy countermeasures, but even that was likely to fail.

" _Brace for impact!"_ he shouted and the collision alarm sounded. However, an explosion was felt and heard, but nothing happened to the ship. The water some distance away flash-boiled. Light streams came from a single entity beneath the _Queen Sirikit._ Then, suddenly, the water exploded with multiple explosions. They were so massive that the shockwave was felt on the Thai ship. Men were thrown to the ground, and the ship rocked with the pressure wave caused by the explosions. Looking up in shock from where he fell, the Captain rushed towards the deck to see for himself what was causing it, only to see nothing.

 _NORMANDY_

"All torpedoes destroyed!" Lucas said from his spot.

" _Do not get comfortable Mr. Bridger, we still have the submarines to deal with,"_ EDI pointed out as Martha steered the ship away from another sea mount.

"Martha, get us up above these sea mounts and into a better attack approach. We need to get to those subs!" Dr. Alenkov said and Martha pushed the ship upwards, closer to the surface. It was still dark, but the holographic images showed the submarines in front of them.

"They are right in front of us Dr. Alenkov, we got lucky and saved that Thai ship from death. But the others are not so lucky," Martha replied.

"Jenkins, EDI, how is the jamming coming along?" Alenkov asked.

" _Almost there, we need a little….GOT IT!"_ he said happily.

" _Jamming frequency found, deactivating now,"_ EDI said and Dr. Alenkov crossed her arms as she looked at the graphs displaying the different signals. The ships started changing their displays from red to green, signaling that the jamming signal is off.

"Jessica, get me all ships in the region. EDI, translate my voice on all languages available now!" she said.

Jessica started typing in on the holographic interface, quickly selecting all the warships in the blockade. "Ships selected!"

" _All channels are open for broadcasting,"_ EDI said.

Dr. Alenkov didn't hesitate when she started broadcasting, "This is Dr. Elenna Alenkov of the Challenger Deep Project. If you are hearing this broadcast then I urge you to cease fire NOW!"

The explosions stopped for a second before a voice was finally heard over the loudspeaker: _"This is Captain Martin Chadwick of the_ U.S.S. ALASKA. _We are heavily damaged, torpedoes have taken out our ships, and the others started firing on us. What the hell is going on?"_ said a voice. Dr. Alenkov smiled seeing as the lights started to broadcast.

" _This is captain Lao-Shi-Min of the Chinese Vessel_ Tiāntáng zhī mén. W _e demand to know why you attacked us?"_ came the voice of the obviously Chinese captain.

" _This is Takeyoshi Mihara of the Japanese Defense fleet, state your business, Dr. Alenkov, and why you are broadcasting to us now?"_ was the demand from the Japanese vessel.

"I am well aware of your demands and the damages to your ships, however, you are currently being preyed upon by submarines that do not belong to neither Russia nor the United States. Our ship has the means to break the jamming signal and we have. You are now free to contact your governments and inform them of what has happened, while we take care of the submarines," Dr. Alenkov stated as she stood there behind the pilot's chair, looking at the screen with several sound graphs each with a different frequency on it.

" _This is the captain of the Thai Naval vessel_ Queen Sirikit _. I have heard what you are saying Dr. Alenkov, but from my understanding, you should be at the bottom of the Marianas Trench several thousand miles away. How are you here and where are you?"_ the captain of the Thai vessel asked and Dr. Alenkov smiled.

"We **were** trapped at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, you mean?" she stated.

Just as she said it, alarms started to go off EDI suddenly appeared, _"I've detected multiple bogies inbound range….030 port side, depth 800 feet,"_

"They are running deep! Martha, what is our depth?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"We are at 3,520 feet," Martha replied as she kept her eyes on the screen in front of her. Dr. Alenkov had to think for a moment, remembering her time in the military, trying to see where these men were coming from.

"EDI, the transmissions from the _Ohio-_ class subs. They were in multiple languages correct?" she stated.

" _That is correct Dr. Alenkov,"_ EDI replied.

"Good. Get me a transmission to them and make sure it is in _their_ language," she said to the A.I. making sure to be as blunt as possible.

"Transmissions is open now Dr. Alenkov," said Jessica from where she sat at her station.

Dr. Alenkov took a deep breath before she began to speak, "This is Dr. Elenna Alenkov of the Alien Space Vessel Normandy. you are ordered by the U.N. to surrender now and cease fire! If you fail to do so, our vessel is equipped to destroy any and all submarines in the area. This is your only warning." She signaled to cut the transmissions and so, they waited. It was a long wait as the Normandy crew grew silent and waiting.

Finally, there was an incoming transmission - one that Jessica relayed to the overhead speakers - as Dr. Alenkov made her way back to the C.I.C. It was short and to the point. One that made her blood boil since it was targeted at her.

" _There will be no surrender, we want what is ours. The_ Ocean Odyssey _and its technology now belongs to us! So everyone onboard as well as the research belong to our superiors not to the United Nations!"_ The voice sounded cold and calculating, and it was definitely male. That much, they could tell, but for everyone onboard the ship, it means one thing….war.

" _ **Where is that transmission coming from?"**_ Dr. Alenkov asked when she had returned to her station just above the holographic form of Normandy.

" _The transmission is coming from the submarine at the very back of the Ohio group. But the signal bounced off several of them before I was able to pinpoint it. But it seems that submarine is holding out on everyone else. It was also the ship closest to the_ Odyssey, _meaning that the pirates plan to use the sub as a means to escape with the scientists and the technology,"_ EDI replied.

Martha looked through the holographic imagery of the fighter group. She frowned when she saw the shape of the ship that the pirates are using. She thought about it and it was then that Lucas noticed.

"Yo, girl wassup?" he asked.

"Something is not right," she said more to herself then anything.

"Really? How so?" asked Lucas.

"The way these ships are lined up the Alfa Class and the Ohio. Why would someone with so much money want with alien tech?" she asked him.

"A lot of countries and corporations would pay billions to get their hands on one piece of alien tech. Even if it means killing off the competition. That is why they had the 'E.T. act of 1979' as a means to control the amount of alien tech that is being reverse engineered." replied Lucas. Martha leaned back on her chair and whistled when he said it. It did not entertain her one bit.

"Do you know about the E.T. act of 1978?" he asked Martha and she shook her head. A bit of confusion on her face.

"Guys I am picking up something," said Ichigo, breaking off their conversation and both got back into focus.

"What do you have?" Martha asked, looking at Ichigo with concern.

"Unknown….wait! TORPEDOES INBOUND! 15 SECONDS, BEARING….66 DEGREES NORTH BY NORTH WEST!" he said and then started muttering in Japanese since that is his base language.

" _All hands prepare for possible impact in ten seconds. Kinetic barriers online,"_ EDI's voice said over the loudspeaker as she diverted the shielding towards the possible impact zones. Martha quickly activated the thrusters and moved the ship away from the torpedoes, but the torpedoes seemed to have a lock onto the ship.

"Hang on, everyone," she said as she steered the ship towards the surface.

" _ **Martha, avoid going to the surface, I want to avoid the looks of surprise on the other ships. Also, to avoid the torpedoes, turn the ship around and bring the lasers back online. I have an idea,"**_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said on the loudspeaker.

"Alright, I am all in for it," Martha said as she turned the ship around. Everyone onboard didn't even feel the turn of gravity, since the ship emits its own. Instead, Martha viewed the change through the view ports in front of her and on her holographic screen. From the darkness outside, they couldn't hear the torpedoes over the sound of the engines. But when Martha hit a switch, all sound was gone, replaced with the sound of the torpedoes. She quickly maneuvered the ship away once again as they headed towards the Normandy.

" _Three more torpedoes inbound from the south, bearing 74.98 south by south west."_ EDI's said from Martha's right.

" _ **Martha, I want you to direct the ship towards these coordinates, can you handle that?"**_ Dr. Alenkov said to her. Looking down, Martha saw the coordinates and smirked.

"What is so funny Martha," said Lucas.

"Hey Lucas, did you ever play a game called chicken?" Martha replied, looking at Lucas with a smirk on her face, her lips almost baring her teeth.

"Yeah, played it several times with my brother when we used to race our dirt bikes back home, why?" he asked confused as he turned to her.

"Ever saw a show called Seaquest DSV?" she asked.

"Wait, is that the one with Johnathan Brandis and Roy Scheider?" he asked and Martha's smirk grew brighter, "Yeah what about it?"

Martha then turned towards the location Dr. Alenkov showed her and laughed, "Well, remember the first episode where they sent the dolphin out to tag the sub?" she said to him. It was then that Lucas finally caught on and started laughing, "You sick son of a bitch!" he said.

"I've never seen the show," Ichigo replied.

"Neither have I," said Jessica.

"Well, look at it this way: it was a show made back in the 90's where a submarine that looked a lot like a fucking squid explored the world's oceans. Well, that sub had a talking dolphin..." Martha was interrupted by Jessica.

"Talking dolphin?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah, well he didn't actually talk, more like his clicks, squeaks… Anyhow, the dolphin was told to tag this submarine because their computers had a failure." Martha replied, letting the ending slide while she steered the ship away from a seamount. The resulting explosion was the result of the torpedoes hitting the ocean floor.

"Basically, their computers had gotten hit by a very bad virus and so, they had to use the dolphin to tag the subs. That way, their torpedoes could effectively lock onto the target," Lucas finished while he saw Martha suddenly lurch to avoid another torpedo.

"Can the torpedoes damage the ship, by any chance?" asked Jessica.

"No, but it can wear down the Kinetic barriers. The armor can withstand multiple hits but we don't know if they are nukes," Martha replied.

" _The torpedoes do not carry any nuclear source. I also detected no nuclear fusion reactors from the submarines you mentioned."_ EDI's voice sounded curious.

All four of them looked at each other curiously, "Explain?" asked Martha.

" _When I did a search on your submarine classes, both the Ohio- and the Alfa-class submarines are run by nuclear energy. This enables them to remain underwater for longer periods of time. However, I do not detect any source of radioactive materials from the submarines. Instead, I detect a more fossil fuel based engine,"_ EDI replied.

" _ **EDI, are you sure?"**_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said from the C.I.C. She sounded curious.

" _I did an initial scan of the submarines, looking for any sources of radioactive materials that would be destructive to your ocean. Instead, I found a more fossil-based engine in all the submarines. Only one submarine is powered by a nuclear fusion reactor, and that one is currently damaged by the others,"_ she said and Martha saw on the scanners.

" _U.S.S. Idaho_ nuclear submarine from America served as a scout ship for the Atlantic Ocean back in the 90's." said Lucas looking up the specifications.

"Why isn't that sub fighting?" asked Martha.

"It's damaged; one of its rudders is malfunctioning and is being towed by one of the American ships," said Lucas.

"Alright, we know who the real sub is what about these, 'fake' subs?" Martha asked.

" _The submarines all used a fossil fuel-based engine. The heat and exhaust that the sub emits is going into the ballasts instead of being released into the ocean. It is possible it was a ploy to divert detection from other subs and to hide the sound of a fossil fuel engine,"_ EDI said from the left side.

" _ **What about thermal scans?"**_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said and Martha could see EDI hard at work at scanning.

" _Thermal scans detect the heat signatures of all the submarines. Human scanners can't detect it because the cold water dissipates the heat hiding the submarine's signature and disguising it as a normal marine mammal, such as a whale. However, the Normandy's scanners are more sophisticated, allowing us to detect the slightest change in temperature."_ EDI replied.

"Meaning we can detect the subs without them knowing," said Ichigo, smirking. Jessica seemed surprised that such a ship could detect such heat signatures, but Martha's smile was the biggest.

"Dr. Alenkov have you seen a show called Seaquest DSV?" Martha asked.

" _ **Yes, Ivan is a huge fan of the show….I get what you are going for, but do we have the means to tag the subs?"**_ she asked, catching on to the strategy.

"Yeah, we use the heat signatures to our advantage," Martha said to her. At this, there was a silent pause and Martha was afraid she might have overstepped her bounds a bit, until the woman's reply was more than enthusiastic.

" _ **Do it,"**_ was the reply.

Martha smirked as she got to work, putting all those hours playing video games to use. Pulling up the tactical feeds, she began to analyze where the subs were going to be, based on their heat signatures. The three chasing them were from the Russian side of the line. Three _Alfa-_ class subs were coming towards the Normandy. But with Normandy being too deep for them to reach, they simply started launching depth charges in the water. Martha scoffed at that notion. The Normandy's more advanced systems could handle them. It was the torpedoes she was more worried about, and she wasn't even sure if they could reach them this deep, anyway.

"EDI, how many hits can the shields take before the torpedoes make contact?" Martha said.

" _Based on my estimations, they can hold for a bit, Martha. The armor can withstand any conventional Earth Weapons save for a nuclear warhead. Even so, even at this depth, the pressure wave from a close explosion will rock the ship, possibly even knock people off their feet"_ EDI replied.

"Why? Doesn't this ship have artificial gravity or something?" Hilary asked.

 _"It does, but the kinetic force from an explosion is too rapid and sudden to immediately compensate for. The artificial gravity and the inertial dampeners are designed for a stable foothold during flight and minor impacts from things like micrometeorites, not direct hits from explosive warheads,"_ EDI explained.

"Ok, she can hold off an entire fleet as long as they don't use nukes, got it," said Lucas as he looked at Martha. "What are you thinking, Marty?" he asked.

"We go with what we were planning by using the heat signatures on the subs," Martha said. Just as she said, it flashes of light went off around them and the sounds of explosions shook the ship. They knew they were trying to get them to rise up to reveal themselves.

"How will we get to them?" asked Jessica.

"We go ghost," Martha said as she flipped a few switches, "Activating stealth systems and engaging thrusters," she said before pushing the ship forward to face the ones on her list, the _Ohio-_ class submarines. "Going ghost in three….two….one!" With that, she flipped a few switches.

" _Normandy stealth systems engaged!"_ EDI said as Martha turned towards her companions.

"Lucas, get those torpedoes, ready we are going in," Martha said as she steered the ship more towards the subs. Lucas cackled as he started flipping holographic switches on his end of the bridge, "Torpedoes one and two armed," he said.

"Ichigo, I want you to handle lasers, Lucas you get torpedoes, Jessica handles sensors," Martha said as she went through.

"Got it!" they said as the interfaces changed.

"Alright, we have three fake Russian _Alfa-_ class submarines coming in from the north and, from the looks of it, they can't see us," Jessica said.

"Good," Martha replied as she drove the ship down towards the bottom. The depth charges stopped when the depth became too deep. She then laid the Normandy near the bottom and waited.

"What are we doing?" asked Ichigo.

"Something that Hilary mentioned," Martha stated as she waited as she watched the sensors. She wasn't sure how long they waited, but it was painstakingly intense either way. Submarine crews were used to a silent game of cat and mouse. At least in the movies. This time, however, it seemed the enemy was impatient: the submarines stopped searching and started going for the ships again. This time, Martha waited till the _Ohio_ s were right over them, before activating thrusters and deactivating the stealth systems. Rising at a rapid rate, she signaled Lucas to open fire, and he did so, followed by Ichigo with the lasers. The explosions that took place were massive as the sound permeated the ship. There were the briefest of minuscule flashes that faintly lit up the cockpit, as Martha steered them clear of the debris. Going into a barrel roll, she then had them lined up on a second submarine.

Ichigo didn't hesitate as he activated the lasers. Just as he did, something slammed into the Normandy. Everyone felt it as Martha held on to the helm.

"What the fuck was that?" asked Ichigo.

" _Alert! Multiple torpedoes inbound, starboard side!"_ EDI said and Martha maneuvered the Normandy around for an attack run.

"Lucas, Ichigo are you guys ready?" she said to them.

"Yeah," they both said at the same time.

Martha activated the thrusters and pushed the ship forwards in an attempt to attack the torpedoes. More were coming and she could see them on her sensors this time. The first time caught her off guard. This time, however...

"GARDIAN Lasers online and ready," said Ichigo as the targeting system was activated. Multiple targets were shown on-screen as he picked a few before firing lasers. Martha held onto the helm as she steered the ship. Another round was heading right towards them; this time, Ichigo was ready when he opened fire.

"Martha, head directly towards them, I have one of the subs in my sights," said Lucas. Martha pushed the Normandy towards them, her thrusters going hard as she went to work.

" _I detect three submarines inbound, all of them_ Alfa _-class and one_ Ohio _behind,"_ said EDI.

"Going dark," Martha said and activated the stealth systems, maneuvering the ship behind the subs, and went for a strafing run. At the signal, Lucas fired the torpedoes using thermals to detect the subs. The first hit in a massive explosion. Martha rolled the _Normandy_ away from the subs, going for another approach, this time with lasers ready. Ichigo made short work of the subs' torpedoes, while Lucas focused on the subs themselves. It was a game of cat and mouse, with the subs trying to find and destroy the _Normandy_.

Two of the submarines ended up hitting their own, when Martha activated the stealth systems, causing the torpedoes to lose their homing and instead lock onto the nearest target. That target being another submarine. It was then that two more of the subs torpedoes had hit the Normandy's side.

"EDI!" Martha said.

" _I detect an outside source, it is coming from the Odyssey,"_ EDI replied and Martha cursed, remembering that some of the alien tech is onboard that ship.

"Alright, forget stealth, let's go the old-fashioned way," she said.

" _ **I have an idea how to deal with the sensors,"**_ Dr. Alenkov said as she showed herself on the side screen.

"What do we have to do?" Martha asked.

" _ **Not you, EDI, does this ship carry any EMP weapons?"**_ she asked.

" _No, this ship does not carry such weapons. However the torpedoes can arm magnetically in close range,"_ EDI replied.

" _ **Martha, can you get us in close to one of the subs? Lucas, when in range, fire torpedoes,"**_ Dr. Alenkov said and the two looked at each other and smirked, "Alright, GAME ON!" they both called out.

Martha maneuvered the ship into range, but doing a barrel roll to avoid a pair of torpedoes. She looked at the kinetic barriers that were still at 95 percent thanks to that first hit. She cursed at her carelessness and decided to stay on the offensive. Another hit from the side showed her that someone was trying to take pot shots.

"EDI, can you find out who is doing that?" Martha asked.

" _I've already found them,"_ she said and the image zoomed in on the _Ocean Odyssey_. "You got to be kidding me!" Martha complained.

"How the fuck did they get those torpedoes!" Ichigo complained as Martha steered the ship yet again to avoid another shot. When she saw the sub in her sights, she nodded to Lucas who took up the shot. She could see through the view ports two beams of light shoot out from the Normandy and strike the submarine. At first, there was nothing, then…

"Target has been tagged, target has been tagged!" Jessica laughed. Just as she said that, Martha turned hard left, rolling out of the way of the torpedoes that were behind them. She could hear them now as they whisked over their heads. They waited with baited breaths for the sound they were expecting.

" _Torpedo bound for target. Detonation: 10 seconds,"_ EDI said and everyone held their breath. They waited as she counted down the time.

Then, as if a storm suddenly hit.

 **BOOM!**

The sound of the explosion was felt throughout the ship as the sub vaporized in front of them. She bet at this depth it could be felt on the surface. But all Martha thought was that one was down and three were left and on their tail. Turning the ship, she accelerated towards the next ship with guns ready to attack. The lasers that Ichigo shot did their job as a secondary BOOM was heard, followed by several more as he shot at the torpedoes that were launched at them. While he was having fun, he couldn't help but wonder how they had that many of them. Felt out of place. But then, he wasn't an expert, so he ignored the question. It was then that one of the subs tried to go for the surface. But Martha drove the Normandy after them, and Lucas finished it off with a shot from its torpedoes. The loud explosion shook the ship as she cleared the explosive debris.

Suddenly, a beam shot past them, but it was too weak to actually do any real damage.

"What was that, EDI?" Martha asked.

" _Rail gun discharge from the_ Odyssey _, the ship is starting to make its getaway,"_ the A.I. replied.

" _ **Martha, get that ship, we can't let the Odyssey leave!"**_ Dr. Alenkov ordered.

"What about the other ships above?" Martha asked as she was curious why they were not responding.

" _ **Most of those ships are too damaged to put up a fight, we are going to have to do it on our own,"**_ Dr. Alenkov replied as Martha avoided another torpedo, only for a second one to hit them on the right side.

" _Kinetic barrier holding at 94 percent,"_ EDI replied.

"Why were the other ones more effective on our shields," Martha asked curiously as she avoided another torpedo. The water became full of them as she steered the ship away from another volley of torpedoes. Then the light came again; this time, it hit the Normandy from above.

" _Kenetic Barrier at 89 percent,"_ EDI said.

"Oh shit, how much firepower does the Odyssey have?" asked Lucas as he shot another round of torpedoes at the third _Ohio_ sub that came into view.

"I don't know, but we have to take out the remainder of the submarines," Ichigo said as he shot his lasers into another volley of torpedoes.

" _ **Lucas, disarm the torpedoes but leave the magnetic homing on,"**_ Dr. Alenkov said, much to everyone's surprise. Martha whistled when she said it.

"But... Doc, if we do that, then how are the torpedoes going to work?" Lucas asked in bewilderment.

" _ **It is time to play phase two: tag the submarine,"**_ she said, and Martha and Lucas looked at each other before they caught on.

"Ok, Lucas time to initiate Operation Darwin," Martha said, and Lucas nodded before turning back to the controls, "Alright, disarming torpedoes, leaving magnetic homing on. EDI, make sure to let us know as soon as the torpedoes are locked onto the submarine and attached, then we see if Dr. Alenkov's plan works," he said before targeting one of the _Ohio_ subs.

" _Ohio-_ class submarine in range," Lucas said.

" _ **On my mark…..FIRE,"**_ she said and Lucas released the torpedoes. Martha watched from her seat as the water around her lit up as the torpedoes shot past. They rocketed forwards towards their targets.

" _Ten seconds to impact!"_ EDI announced, " _nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one….torpedo one attached, torpedo two homing."_

Martha watched from her monitor on the side as the second torpedo attached itself to another submarine – this one was an _Alfa-_ class.

"Torpedoes one and two locked and attached Ma'am," she said to the intercom.

" _ **Good, Martha, take us deep, all the way to the bottom. Let's see how this plays out,"**_ Dr. Alenkov said, smirking, and Martha engaged the stealth systems and dove deep. When she got to the bottom, the minor trench they were in provided shelter from the battle above. They waited with baited breath, until finally, the sounds of distant explosions hit their ears. A huge cheer seemed to go on in the C.I.C. until Dr. Alenkov silenced them.

" _ **We are not done yet, we still have one more ship to go before we get to the**_ **Odyssey** _ **. That ship must be the one in charge of the operation. Martha, take us to depth, I want a full scan of the ship when we get there. EDI, I want you to examine the whereabouts of all the ships in the area and inform the bridge crew of any new developments,"**_ she said and EDI sent her acknowledgment.

Martha sighed as she steered the ship towards the depth that Dr. Alenkov wanted. As much as it was fun to do so, she was starting to wear out. Luckily for her, she was not the only one. Lucas and Ichigo, both at their weapons' posts, were also feeling the strain, while Jessica, who ran communications, was starting to look a bit agitated when she worked at her station. When Martha was at depth, she started to do her scans, looking for the submarine. When she located it, she sent the coordinates to Dr. Alenkov.

" _ **Alright, I know you are tired, folks, but we are almost there. Martha, that submarine is almost at the**_ **Odyssey.** _ **If those pirates make it off, then everyone is lost. Take that thing out!"**_ she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," Martha said as she steered the ship towards the submarine. Lucas was ready with torpedoes, as was Ichigo with lasers, when EDI gave a warning. Martha had barely enough time to roll the ship out of the way before a beam of light hit them, cursing how the water made them just sluggish enough to make every dodge a close one.

"Fuck, that damn fuckin' rail gun!" said Lucas as he clearly wanted to vent his frustration.

"How the fuck are we going to deal with that?" asked Jessica. They all sat there while Martha kept them clear of the rail guns fire.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

By now, everyone saw the explosions underwater. The ships around them ceased fire on each other, but refused to move away from the _Odyssey_. Tao-Yun had started to order the ship to move when it was blocked by the Chinese. When he shot them with the rail gun, the explosion and the sinking of the vessel filled him with some sort of sick satisfaction. But the explosions underwater did happen, and as his sonar person explained, a much larger ship had arrived, and this one maneuvered much better than the subs they had with them.

When it arrived was when things started to fall apart. Tao-Yun was ready to fight his way out, which was why he had his fellow pirates smuggle on the rail guns and the other weaponry that was needed to arm the ship. His benefactor was no stranger to weapons and shielding, so he was glad for the energy shield that protected the ship from that missile the Chinese had sent them. But when the submarines that were supposed to escort them suddenly started to explode and the ship appeared and disappeared, that was when things started to go downhill.

Then came the call from some Russian doctor.

Oh, he had his dealings with Russians before and he had personally killed a few. But when this 'Alenkov' came and ordered their surrender, he was the first one to tell her to basically shove it! Then all hell broke loose with the destruction of the submarines. The ship that she came on, the 'Normandy', was a fast ship. Despite its size, the submarine underwater could maneuver better than any of their submarines. And Tao-Yun wanted that ship!

" _Sir, the final escort is gone!"_ he heard and Tao-Yun's eyes widened when he heard it. Turning, he saw the frantic look on his sailors' faces when it happened.

" _What!"_ he asked, shocked as he rushed towards the sonar room and looked down at the computer screen. Sure enough, their escort was gone, and the large ship, the _Normandy,_ remained. It was a blur on their sonar, but the ship's size was hard to hide. Tao-Yun tried to decipher what it was, but then it seemed to vanish.

" _Where is it?"_ he demanded as sweat poured from his brow.

" _We lost it again sir,"_ said the crew member behind him, and he turned to him before putting a bullet through his head. His patience had run out and his anger had reached a boiling point.

" _Find it! Find it now!"_ he roared, and everyone quickly went to do his bidding, not wanting to end up like the crew member on the floor. He then started to bark orders.

" _I've had enough of this! Find that ship! Blast it out of the water with the rail gun_ _s_ _now!"_ he said and the man in charge of the gun started firing at random into the water. The sea boiled with the sight of so many explosions. Oil littered the water, so the sea began to burn as it caught on fire from the three rail guns. Many other ships too close to the oil slick also caught fire as crews were desperate to escape the blaze. The American ship, the _U.S.S. Alaska,_ was one of those ships caught in the blaze. But as luck would have it, due to its size, the flames did not come up high enough to cause immediate problems. However, the smoke made it uncomfortable to work around.

Many people struggled to get out of the range of the flames that now rose from the amount of smoke and debris that came from the underwater battle. The rail gunner then started firing at random spots hoping to deal a final blow. However, they found nothing.

Then, as if from some nightmare, something came towards them. A massive wave seemed to part the ships as if it were alive. It rammed into the ship, causing men who were not holding on to fall into the ocean and be consumed by the flames. Others tried to fire on the wave, but what caused it simply disappeared into the depths. Now, Tao-Yun was angry, as he scoured the swells for any signs of the ship. But he found none and looked again at the smoking flames of the naval ships. By now, with the loss of their jamming signals, they knew that the United Nations had ordered more ships to close in. But would their benefactor back them up this time?

 _NORMANDY_

Alenkov watched the ships on the holographic interface. She stood at her spot on the raised platform. She felt that it was here that she belonged, overseeing her crew. As she watched the many ships scramble to get out of the flames, she turned towards EDI's holographic form.

"Shall we?" she asked, smirking.

" _Normandy is ready and waiting,"_ EDI replied, her voice sounding smug. Looking towards the holographic interface, Alenkov saw the _Ocean Odyssey_ sitting there, as well as the hostages onboard. The artificial intelligence had used her own hacking skills to hack into the ship's computers, cutting off the jamming signals and got them views of the ship's interior. She could see the hostages around her and she could see them lined up along the deck with their hands up and soaked with sea water. Armed men were around them, with guns pointing at them and at the ships beyond.

"Get me on the line with all the ships in the area," she said.

" _Communications are online Dr. Alenkov,"_ EDI replied.

"This is Dr. Alenkov of the _Normandy_. Your ships are destroyed and you have nowhere else to go. Surrender now or you will be shot," she said, making the threat clear. She waited with baited breath.

" _Dr. Alenkov, you have a transmission from the_ U.S.S. Alaska _,"_ said EDI.

"Patch them through," she said and the voice transmission of the Alaska came into the room, _"_ Normandy, _this is the_ Alaska _what the hell is going on? First we have submarines in the area, and then you show up with that large ship. Just what the hell is that you are using?"_ he demanded and several other ships also demanded the same thing. Dr. Alenkov smirked, seeing that she wanted to brag, but at the same time, kept her cool.

"Captain, this is a state-of-the-art _alien_ vessel. And frankly, they had stolen our only means to food and supplies as well as kidnapped our companions. And I am tired and starving, so what would you do if you were under those circumstances for a few months?" she replied and there was silence.

She looked ready to laugh at the hilarity of it all but first things first.

"Martha, take us to the surface, I am tired of this game," she said and all she got from Martha was an, _"Aye, Aye, captain!"_ before the line went dead.

TBC

 **a/n: Man that was intense! I originally planned for this sequence but it never fell through in the original. So I had to psych myself up with watching a whole bunch of war documentaries and submarine battle scenes from several movies and t.v. series to get the feel of the battle. Though it may seem one sided remember the Normandy is far more advanced then the submarines. And the submarines are poor imitations of the originals. I mean come on not everyone can steal plutonium or uranium from anyone!**

 **Anyhow what do you guys thing? Please leave a review and remember no FLAMES, BASHINGS OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE!**


	19. Normandy Vs Odyssey

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT IT BELONGS TO BIOWARE AND E.A. GAMES.**

 **A/n: OH MAN! It has been busy for both me and my Beta. This summer is a mess of activity for both at work and in real life.** **I had to move out of my house just recently so the time I spent on fanfiction was next to nothing except to edit and post a couple of chapters that I had already written. My landlord sold the house I was living in so that means I had to move out. I was hectic trying to find a place but eventually I moved in with my boyfriend and his family till I find a place of my own. But now that I fully moved in and all the drama with my previous land lord is done I can concentrate on my stories more. As for my beta he had a busy summer with holiday and work problems so trying to get this chapter up was a pain.**

 **B** **ut it had been done so anyhow here you go finally the next installment of…..**

 **Mass Effect the Immortal Series Part 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 18: Normandy vs. Odyssey**

OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM

Tao-Yun was not impressed as he looked over at the light of dawn that was cascading over the horizon. The battle of the submarines had lasted through the night. The blasts from the rail gun had been the only source of light aside from the various lights of the many ships that littered the sea. Some of them had long since vanished towards the nearby Vietnam shores and others had stayed to stand guard over the _Ocean Odyssey_. Already, his men had been waiting with guns pointed at the various people they had strewn along the deck. Among them was the man they were going to sacrifice first: the filmmaker Micheal Cameron.

When the sun had risen just high enough for them to see, the waves started to pick up. The ocean was no longer calm as the debris and the once-burning oil had been gone from the surface. Instead the waves started to show their anger at the war that was brewing on the surface and down below. The sounds of the wind in his face a sure indication that there was a storm coming for them.

" _Sir, what are you going to do now? The subs have been destroyed!"_ said his lieutenant. Tao-Yun turned to him, his voice a dangerous whisper: _"What?"_ he said. His subordinate backed away slowly with fear evident on his face.

" _They are gone sir,"_ was the reply from the man, and Tao-Yun turned towards the ocean, his rage evident on his face. Then he threw his cigarette into the ocean screeching. First his plan went to shit, with the blockade forcing him to abandon his original meeting place in the Philippines for Vietnam. It was as if whoever this 'Alenkov' is planned it all along.

Now, even with superior firepower, he is overcome by one submarine! He was at his wit's end after nearly a month of being blocked from the shore. He was not about to go down without a fight. Turning towards his officers, he made the call.

" _I want the patrols doubled! Keep that rail gun ready and primed, I don't want anything to get through, and if that bitch wants to fight, then by the grace of the ancestors, we will give her one!"_ he said and the men went to work. The battered crew that was held on the deck were tired and worn out. Their skin sun burnt and red, their lips chapped and some showed signs of bleeding. Many were bruised and a few females looked as if their clothes were torn. This was a sign of some of them being raped for the pleasure of many men onboard. Thankfully, they were not dead yet that was for sure.

Just as Tao-Yun neared the plank, sitting there, waiting for its next victim, a crewman came rushing out.

" _Sir, an incoming call from our benefactor,"_ he said and Tao-Yun nodded before walking towards the main communications hub. Taking the phone he answered, "Tao-Yun here," he said in English.

" _It is about time you answered the damn phone,"_ a male voice said on the other end.

"I am sorry, sir, but it was difficult to keep communications with several ships attacking," Tao-Yun replied, his voice nervous.

" _Where are the submarines?"_ The voice on the other end said to him. Tao-Yun swallowed. He was not going to like being the bearer of bad news.

"Gone," he said, his voice quivering with fear.

" _What do you mean_ _ **gone!?**_ _"_ his benefactor asked him, the voice sounded demanding, as if he expected Tao-Yun to have the answer.

"We were attacked by an unknown entity, sir. It came out of nowhere, a submarine of phenomenal size and it killed all of our subs," Tao-Yun replied. His voice was not like how it sounded just an hour earlier, where it was confident. In the confines of the communications room, with the phone in his ear, he could almost see the anger off his boss. The man who funded the whole raid and gave him every resource. All Tao-Yun had to do was deliver the package to him, but he never counted on the U.N. coming to the rescue or the fact that one ship had taken out all of his supporters.

" _This entity you speak of, what is the size of it?"_ asked the man on the other line. Tao-Yun swallowed before answering, "Massive, about the size of one of the American Aircraft carriers, maybe larger," he said.

There was silence on the other end, but before the benefactor could speak Tao-Yun continued, "We had one transmission from the sub sir by a woman named Alenkov she said to surrender or else," he said.

Still there was silence, as if the man was speaking to someone, but at the mention of Alenkov the man was surprised, _"Alenkov? Are you sure it was a female voice named Alenkov?"_ he said.

"Yes sir, she said her name was Dr. Elenna Alenkov of the _Normandy_ and she said to surrender the _Odyssey_ or else," Tao-Yun replied not sure where this is going but then the man gave an order.

" _I will contact you soon. This could pose more problems for us."_ With that, the man hung up and left Tao-Yun to his devices. As the Asian man placed the speaker back onto the hold, he was afraid of letting it go as if he knew the answer.

SOMEWHERE HIDDEN IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION

Alexandria Wilcox was on the screen, looking at one of her many contacts. The man was dressed in white and spoke with an English accent. He had been her ally for a while on the black market, selling special goods.

"Are you sure that is what Tao-Yun said?" she asked the man.

" _Yes ma'am, that is what he said; Elenna Alenkov, but I don't understand. He mentioned a '_ Normandy. _' I've not heard of it. Last I heard of Dr. Alenkov, she was in charge of the Challenger Deep Project in the Marianas. What would she be doing on a submarine of that scale?"_ he asked and Alexandria took a cigarette from the side and lit it.

"Elenna was always a clever woman. What do you expect from a former member of KGB? She has resources available to her. I would not be surprised that she had somehow gotten off the alien vessel. Even when she was fully expecting to die," she said as she leaned back in her chair, her mind in deep thought as she considered what this would mean to their operation. The research aboard the _Ocean Odyssey_ is the most sought after treasure the world could ever want. The knowledge of an ancient civilization not even from Earth. All that knowledge at their fingertips. The weapons that could be produced such as the rail gun or the shielding. It would make millions to those around her. And to think that the people who gave them the tech was on that ship. But the name of Elenna Alenkov was one that would burn Alexandria with such hatred that she wanted to burn the woman in hell. The Russian woman has been a menace since they both were in their respective agencies.

Now, however, Alexandria has to be in hiding, because Alenkov somehow discovered her baggage onboard that vessel. No matter – if she was here to fight back after being locked up at the bottom of the ocean, then let her fight. Alexandria could play fair, or not.

"Tell Tao-Yun to kill the scientists... but do it slowly, I don't want anything damaged. That should send a message. The research, we can salvage, but she would want something in return." Alexandria said to the screen.

" _She would want blood, wouldn't she?"_ the man asked.

"She is probably here to save the lives of the _Odyssey_ crew. I want all that research for myself, but it seems that she doesn't want to give it up. No matter, I've wasted enough time playing. Tell him that all the weapons at his disposal are his so long as he kills Elenna Alenkov and everyone that works with her," she said to the figure on the screen.

" _It will be done,"_ he said.

"Good, report to me when the deed has been carried out," she said and closed the link. Alexandria puffed on her cigarette. She was intrigued that Alenkov could pull this off on her. Well, she wouldn't last long against the latest weapons tech onboard the Odyssey. Of that much, she was certain, as she leaned back against her chair. Her now dark hair hid her features from anyone not looking in the right direction.

No, she could wait as long as she needed to.

 _NORMANDY_

"Dr. Alenkov, we should tell the ships that they need to move or else they could risk the _Normandy_ accidentally banging into them," Martha said into the console.

" _I am well aware of that and had EDI broadcast my message to them. In about ten minutes, we will be at the surface; that gives them plenty of time to get out of our way,"_ Dr. Alenkov replied from the speaker, but her voice was strained, as if trying to contain her anger.

 _She has a right to be angry_ , Martha thought to herself. She then began to run the sequences that she managed to memorize on the way up from the Challenger Deep. Fingers flashing across the holographic screen like it was something out of a magical fairy-tale.

"Alright, ready to begin ascent," Martha said to her.

" _Begin countdown of surfacing sequence when the ships are moved away to a safe distance, EDI will tell you when it is safe to surface,"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the speakers. Martha nodded as she looked towards her monitor.

"Alright, switching from main thrusters to landing thrusters and beginning surfacing sequence," she said as she flipped a few switches.

" _All ships are evacuating the area to allow the Normandy time to surface,"_ EDI replied.

"Good," Martha replied.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

"Captain we got an unidentified submersible coming in hot from a depth of….2600 feet and closing fast sir!" said the sonar specialist. Just as he said it, alarms began to blare, and Captain Chadwick hurried to the sonar screen to see for himself what was going on. As he looked, his face turned to one of horror as the ship that was mentioned was the one that took out the submarines.

"All hands evasive maneuvers! Evasive maneuvers!" he shouted and alarms began to blare as the ship was suddenly lurched as it moved out of the way. This was followed by the movements of others ships as they too moved away from the rising vessel.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

" _Sir, something is happening!"_ said a sonar specialist as Tao-Yun emerged from his cabin. He was not pleased to be summoned here so quickly after retiring for the moment. It was at times like these that he cherished his sleep. And now, it seemed, sleep would once again not come to him.

" _What is the status?"_ he demanded as he looked at the sonar. The front end of that massive submarine was rising according to the sonar report. Rushing towards the deck he went to see what his nemesis would look like. As he looked out through the binoculars, he saw several ships retreating from the immediate area, as if something was coming to the surface. The water was stirring, as if the seas were boiling. He was worried as they took on a new appearance as something was emerging from the depths.

" _What the hell?"_ he asked himself as the sounds of the many alarms began to be heard over the sound of the windy seas. The waves began to stir as if the ocean was welcoming a new champion. He looked over the railing, waiting anxiously, and looked down. The sharks that had been circling the _Odyssey_ had long since vanished, as if they knew that whatever it was that was rising from the sea was a new and bigger threat. Tao-Yun waited with baited breath, both nervous and excited to see this foe.

MEANWHILE

"What is happening?" Micheal asked Enrique as the two watched with the rest of the hostages, the many ships suddenly moving away from a spot on the ocean.

"I don't know, _señor,_ I think something is surfacing," Enrique replied as he, too, waited. His face was already red and sunburned, his lips cracked and blistered, and at some point started bleeding from the cracked skin. His eyes were puffy from the salty water. His hair was crusted with salt from the sea spray. Micheal didn't fare any better and neither did the rest of the crew. One man looked to be unresponsive and Enrique feared that he had died of exposure to the elements.

As if reading his thoughts, the sounds of the many sirens from the distant ships had captured his attention. He turned his head away from Micheal to look over the ocean. Already, the sounds of something happening had alerted him. Ship sirens could be heard and more than a dozen ships from America, Korea, and Japan began to move out of the way from a certain spot in the distance. As the bubbles began to clear, it became obvious that something was _enormous._

 _NORMANDY_

"Dr. Alenkov, we are at depth of 1000 feet and rising," Martha said over the comms.

" _Good, keep me informed of when we are near the surface,"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice broke through the intercom, and Martha continued their rise to the surface. Already at a depth of 1000 feet, she could only see trace amounts of deep sea lights, caused by some species of fish. But as the Normandy's systems were doing checks, she kept an eye on the ships above. She didn't want to accidentally damage them even further.

"EDI, are there any ships that are currently sinking?" she asked the A.I.

" _Two Korean ships are taking on water. One Chinese battleship is unresponsive due to damaged propellers and will most likely be towed. The American aircraft carrier also sustained damages and will most likely need to go through extensive repairs. Their aircraft launch pad and storage elevators are currently offline. The control tower seems to have suffered the most damage as it seems to no longer have access to some of the lower floors,"_ EDI replied.

"Is there any way to help them?" asked Lucas from his seat.

"I don't think we can help at this point," said Ichigo as he looked at his charts.

Looking outside, Martha could see the water begin to turn lighter as they reached the last point rays of the sun could penetrate the depths. She grew excited as the thought of finally seeing the sun again warmed her. She could see the others on the bridge were starting to get excited too.

"Hey, look, I can see the light," said Lucas.

Jessica and Ichigo both joined in the excitement and Martha could hear chatter from other parts of the ship as more crew members started to take notice of the seemingly sudden change in the water outside. Looking down at the console, Martha was determined to see for herself how deep they were compared to earlier. The chart said 450 feet, meaning they were getting close.

"Alright we are near the surface now Dr. Alenkov and we can see the light of day," Martha said, her voice sounded excited.

NORMANDY COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER

Dr. Alenkov gave a smile at the opportunity to finally see the light of the sun once more. After several months trapped in the depths, the sunlight was something she sorely missed. And it was something she was dreading.

"EDI, power up shields and keep them on, I want to make sure we don't run into any surprises," she said.

" _Acknowledged,"_ was the reply from the artificial intelligence as Martha put in the final checks, before the light became too bright for her eyes.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

"Sonar has detected the anomaly! It has reached the five hundred foot mark and rising, sir!" the sonar specialist said to the captain. Captain Chadwick had been keeping an eye on the rising ship and wanted to make sure the ship was indeed rising to the surface. Already, several other naval vessels had moved out of the way to ensure that they would not be hit by the larger submersible, nor get hit by a stray shot from the inevitable attack from the _Ocean Odyssey_. He walked out towards the door. They finally managed to get the door removed to allow them to leave. That way, the crew members could finally get to facilities when they needed, and for the medical team to come up to deal with the injured. It also allowed them to remove the bodies of the fallen to help with cleanup.

As he looked at the new state of his command, he walked down to the nearly destroyed flight deck. Huge craters were sitting where a runway used to be, making flying impossible. He couldn't get any planes in the air anyway, due to the damage to the elevators and the planes themselves. The rail gun from the _Odyssey_ had done a number to the ship. He was lucky that the _Alaska_ was still floating.

But as he walked across the deck, being careful to avoid the holes, the wind sweeping past his face, he looked down towards the waters below on the starboard side. Already, the sea began to boil with the rising of the ship. The ship itself would be massive once it got to the surface. Such a submarine should be impossible to build, but he was about to find out just how formidable this craft can be.

 _NORMANDY_

" _Dr. Alenkov, we are about 60 meters from the surface, ma'am, and I can already see the light,"_ Martha said over the intercom of the Normandy's bridge.

Over at the Combat Information Center, or the CIC, of the ship, Dr. Alenkov stood over the raised platform, looking at the holographic display of the fleet around her. Already, she could see the ships moving out of the way for her vessel… _her vessel..._ she could already see this place as her vessel. The thoughts that started to stream into her head were quickly squashed as her mind focused back on the present.

"What is the distance between us and the _Odyssey_?" she asked.

" _About five miles or just over 9 kilometers from our position,"_ Martha replied.

 _So that would put us at a reasonable distance from the ship. Good, the_ Normandy _can get there in seconds, now that the water will no longer be an obstacle,_ she thought as she looked at the holographic chart, "EDI, what is our status on the exact location and power output of the shield?" she asked the artificial intelligence.

" _The shield generator is located here, at the peak of the ship,"_ the image that was shown was that of the ship itself zoomed in. Where the blue light was at the top of the hologram.

"The rail guns, where are they?" she asked.

" _The rail guns are located in several locations around the ship, including both sides, the stern and the aft. The pirates also possess explosives of equivalent firepower as a depth charge, located here and here,"_ she showed where the explosives are located.

"The hostages?" she asked.

" _They are located along the deck as a warning to the other ships, though some of them are no longer with us due to exposure. If we want them to live, I recommend haste"_ EDI confirmed this, when she zoomed in on the people tied up on the deck. She even went so far as to show their vital signs. Alenkov knew these people, and the thought of seeing them harmed made her blood boil. The actual sight of them was worse.

She looked at the Normandy's arsenal and then at the holographic form of the _Odyssey_. Her mind raced as she tried to process the best laid plan. It was then that she noticed something.

"EDI, there are two smaller ships in the cargo bay, what are they?" she asked.

" _They are the_ Kodiak _and the_ Hammerhead _, two vessels used for exploration of unknown worlds that the_ Normandy _can't land on. Due to our size and mass, the Normandy can't land on most worlds. Some worlds are too inhospitable for the ship to land. So in its place, we send the_ Kodiak _and the_ Hammerhead _. It was the best translation to the actual names of the ships. If I have done my research into human languages correctly,_ " EDI replied.

"Does Martha have to fly these vessels?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

" _No, she is only required to fly the_ Normandy _itself, these vessels have basic flight functions and weaponry for defense. If you are thinking of letting Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds fly these vessels, then they are more than capable. The flight controls are similar to that of a normal human aircraft. The only difference is that is has a holographic interface, just like the_ Normandy _, with the exception of the steering mechanism,"_ EDI replied.

Dr. Alenkov smiled as she activated the intercom, "Major Reynolds, Major Lawoski, EDI has just informed me that the two smaller vessels can be piloted by you both. Each of you will take the smaller craft before we reach the surface. That way, when the shield is down, you both can take out the ship," she said.

" _Aye aye, captain!"_ they both said before closing the comm.

"Alright Martha, slow our ascent, we want to give both Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds's teams time to leave the ship for their run with the _Odyssey_. I assume they also have stealth capabilities?" she asked EDI that last question.

" _No, they do not. However, if they remain at this depth until the shields are down, we will be the much greater threat, and they are unlikely to be targeted,"_ EDI replied.

"Did you hear that?" she said, and with the confirmation that they had, Dr. Alenkov smiled before she gave the orders.

"Dr. Jenkins, lock on to the exact source of the shield. Martha, wait till the smaller ships leave the docking bay, then resume your ascent for the surface. But do so with kinetic barriers at full power. I want all weapons primed and ready. Dr. Ballard, I want sensors ready and watching for any more enemy ships. Jessica, I want you to monitor all comm channels from the _Odyssey_ to make sure we know for certain that whoever is on the ship is the one in charge. I want channels monitored on all fronts and translators at full capacity, I don't want any mess ups, people, we are going to be fighting for our lives," Dr. Alenkov said.

A chorus of acknowledgments went throughout the C.I.C. as people went back to their stations to get ready for the upcoming battle. Dr. Alenkov remained at her station, waiting for the worst.

NORMANDY SHUTTLE HANGAR

"Alright boys, listen up! These suits have barriers that protect you from bullets, but they will only hold for a short period of time against the alien rounds. So be careful how you use them, and don't take one for the team, understand!" Major Lawoski said to his men. The group of men in front of him saluted, showing that they understood what is at stake.

"Good, we will split up into two teams. We will call ourselves Hammerheads, after that smaller machine there. And before you ask, EDI told me that yes, it was a normal hovercraft with jump capabilities, but was modified to also work elsewhere. I didn't ask for details. Hammerhead One, you will be with me, and you will ride in the big shuttle. Hammerhead Two, you will ride with Major Reynolds in the smaller craft. Once we get clear of the _Normandy_ , we will begin our approach to the _Odyssey_ from below. There we will wait till the _Normandy_ gets the shield down and then we will make our move on the ship, understood?"

"SIR, YES, SIR!" was the reply from the group of security personnel in front of them.

"Good, now move out!" he said and the band of soldiers ran towards their ships. Major Lawoski hit a series of buttons on his newly acquired omni-tool. He was happy for the present from Dr. Jackson and Dr. Kimber, both of which were now looking at them from the windows above them. When the two ships were lowered, both men led their teams aboard.

Major Lawoski was just glad to finally be able to pilot an alien craft. Too bad it wasn't the _Normandy_ itself. But, he would settle for the larger shuttle, which EDI called the _Kodiak,_ which is the best translation for the alien name it was originally given. Looking at the controls, the ship's holographic interface was simple enough to understand. He saw where the engines are, the fuel, and so forth.

"Alright, boys, are we strapped in?" he asked, and got affirmatives from the soldiers, helmets held in their hands. The suits themselves were environmental hardsuits that could survive any environment and almost any combat situation, though it was quickly made clear that they weren't invincible; stupid risks wouldn't be tolerated. It was a good thing they all read the instructions given by EDI about the suit's use. The omni-tools on their arms also helped to determine bodily functions as well as environmental impacts.

"Alright, everything set?" he asked. When he gotten affirmatives from the people in the back as well as the one from the smaller vessel next to him, he relayed his connection to the Normandy.

"Normandy, this is Hammerhead One, we are ready for launch," he said over the comm.

" _Hammerhead Two, ready for launch,"_ was the reply from the second vessel.

" _Hammerhead One, Hammerhead Two, this is Normandy, you are good to go, I repeat: you are good to go, and good hunting,"_ was the reply from Dr. Kimber as the launch bay doors opened. The mass effect fields formed a protective barrier from the outside, so there was no fear of water rushing into the ship. Just as that happened, the two craft began to move as Major Lawoski put instructions into the controls. He could feel the ship rising before the shuttle's own inertial dampeners kicked in. This killed the feeling of the shuttle shaking as it rose from where it was placed on the ground. The smaller vessel was the same as it, too, lifted.

Looking out the window, Major Lawoski spotted Major Reynolds and gave a thumbs up. The gesture was returned as Major Lawoski went, first followed by Major Reynolds, into the now purple waters of the open ocean. The light filtering from the sun came in as a welcomed sight, but the mission at hand took priority, and he engaged the engines.

Both he and Major Reynolds steered the ships away, while the _Normandy_ began to rise once more towards the surface.

"Alright people, listen up! We got one shot at this. We wait till Normandy has the shield down. Then we go in for the kill and rescue the people trapped onboard." said Major Lawoski.

" _Once we have the shield down, I can deactivate their systems with a well-placed EMP pulse. That would give you the advantage against their rail guns. It should disable them to protect the ship."_ EDI said as she appeared on a small screen next to the controls.

"Roger that, you heard that one, Hammerhead Two?" he said.

" _Loud and clear,"_ was the reply from Major Reynolds.

"Alright, people, let's move out!" Major Lawoski said as he pushed the throttle of the shuttle, and the two ships followed each other towards the _Odyssey_. They could see the faint pulse of the shield around it. They could also see the floating debris from the various ships that were sunk by this vessel. It was supposed to be a research vessel before the pirates took over and turned it into a weapons arsenal. Now, all they had to do was wait it out and then strike when it becomes vulnerable.

 _U.S.S. ALASKA_

Captain Chadwick looked over the deck towards the ocean below, he ocean swells caressing the still aircraft carrier. It was quiet as the many men and women onboard his ship were busy with cleaning up and trying to repair the deck. Already, the wind had started to pick up as the day wore on and he frankly enjoyed the feel of the sea breeze against his skin.

In all his years serving with the military, never once in his life had he encountered a standoff such as this. One thing had led to another during this standoff; because of these events, nations shared the same goal, to seize back the _Ocean Odyssey_ and rescue the researchers that still were on that vessel.

Just as he looked over the horizon towards the ship in the distance, alarms began to blare. As he looked up a crewman ran towards him.

"What is it?" he demanded to him.

"Sir, it is moving again," said the crewman, and Captain Chadwick walked to the deck's edge. Peering into the deep and the swells, he looked for any signs of something. So far, there was nothing to see. And just as he was about to turn away, something caught his eye. Looking down towards the deep blue, something began to appear.

It was faint at first, and he almost thought it was a figment of his imagination. But as the thing moved closer towards the surface, he could make out something large. And it was it was getting larger. As it was getting larger, more and more people began to gather along the deck to see for themselves. The water's roiling increased as it approached, not only pushing it out of the way, but also giving off heat. As it did so, more crew members rushed out to see what was rising from the depths.

Then, the distant sounds of alarms began to blare across the American fleet. The other fleets also began to blare alarms as something broke the surface of the ocean. It was then that Captain Chadwick realized that what they were dealing with was not a submarine, it was a _massive_ vessel of unknown origins. As it broke the surface, people began to back away in shock and awe. But not Captain Chadwick, he kept his cool as the ship rose higher and higher from the water, and he could make out its massive engines along its wings, the two tail fins that resembled airplane fins and the smaller tapered front. The silvery outline of the ship showed its age as it had no paint or coloration on it. But the details were something that went beyond anything short of a Hollywood movie.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God..." he whispered as the ship continued to rise slowly from the sea. Only when it was floating just above the surface, did Captain Chadwick realize what he was seeing.

"Sir, isn't that the alien vessel?" one of the seamen asked as the ship rose just above the surface of the calming waters, the water cascading off of its sides as it floated just above the surface. Shocked and bewildered, Captain Chadwick had his mouth open and could not speak a word. The light of the sun reflecting off of the ancient ship was a marvel to behold as he stared at the vessel along with several seamen. Already, a crowd was gathering along the deck, as well as in the tower. He could only imagine the looks on the faces of those on the other vessels and the look on the faces of the pirates on the _Odyssey_.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Tao-Yun was at the tower after waking to see for himself what had risen from the ocean. When he did, he was shocked to see a massive vessel rising from the depths and the other ships steering clear. His shock turned to horror as he realized what he was dealing with, when it became apparent that the ship was well above the waves now.

" _Get the weapons systems online now!"_ he ordered as he ran towards the deck. Already, he saw the ship just standing there, as if waiting. Then, as if launching from the ground, it started to head towards him. Its speed was unlike anything he'd ever encountered as he ordered the rail guns to fire upon the ship. When they fired, the ship steered away from them at incredible speed. Then it fired its own weapons at them. The shield luckily held off the attack, but more came from it.

The ship rocked at the sudden impacts of the ship's weapons. No other weapon systems could do such a thing to them so far, but this ship had proven to be the bane of his existence. Shocked to realize this, he ordered his men to target the ship.

MEANWHILE

"Oh my God!" Micheal called out as he and Enrique saw, for the first time, the ship they had been going to the past several years, finally emerged.

"It is magnificent," Enrique said, seeing the ship for the first time in its entirety. The alien vessel shone with a silvery glint, but the significance of it radiated with power. It was a sight to behold and it was also then that both men started to laugh.

"What is so funny?" Tao-Yun said as he walked up to Micheal and hit him in the gut. This caused him to fall and the taste of blood to emerge from his mouth. But the smile never left him.

"You fuckers are screwed! You know where your tech comes from? It comes from _that_!" Micheal said, indicating with his head in the direction of the Normandy. "That vessel is the mother of all alien tech, the alien vessel itself! And frankly, fucker, if she is online then you might as well surrender and die." Tao-Yun's face was priceless as Micheal and Enrique both smiled with glee at their savior. The other surviving members of the _Odyssey_ crew were both stunned and shocked to see the vessel come to life in front of them.

"How could they have done it?" asked a woman beside them. Her sentence was silenced when Tao-Yun no longer tolerated talk and began to bark orders to his men. Suddenly, weapons began to power up as they aimed at the vessel. But both men knew that it was a battle they had long awaited for.

NORMANDY BRIDGE

Dr. Alenkov's plan was to lower the shield or weaken it enough for Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds to sneak onboard the ship and disable it. Then, they would disable the rail guns that threatened the other vessels. Or, that was the plan that Martha heard. All she and the bridge crew had to do was lower the shield, but it was not going to be an easy task.

"Is everything ready?" Martha asked both Lucas and Ichigo.

"Torpedoes locked and ready," Ichigo said.

"GARDIAN lasers online and ready," Lucas said.

" _Thanix Cannon primed and ready,"_ EDI replied as she, too, was ready for action.

"Dr. Alenkov, the Normandy is primed and ready for action on your orders," Martha announced.

" _I am detecting the Odyssey is powering up weapons and the shield is still online,"_ EDI added.

" _Martha, you know what to do. Activate main thrusters, begin the attack sequence,"_ Alenkov said and Martha hit a few holographic switches before taking controls.

"Switching off landing thrusters and engaging main drives now," she said and leaned back. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the monitor in front of her of the _Odyssey_. Zooming in, she could see the many rail guns already powering up and aiming at the _Normandy_.

"Alright, activating primary thrusters now and engaging enemy," Martha said and pushed the _Normandy_ forward. The inertial dampeners proved to be useful as the supposed G-forces kicked in. Martha could not feel the G-forces but she could feel the vibration of the engines as they kicked in behind her. The push of the massive engines engaging showed that this ship indeed has power to her outside of the water. The distance between the _Normandy_ and the _Odyssey_ began to shorten rapidly as Martha pushed the ship towards its goal.

Suddenly, shots began to fire from the _Odyssey,_ hitting the kinetic barriers at the front of the ship. Martha looked down at the meter that showed that the barriers had gone down a lot more than what was anticipated, but she couldn't guess why. Maybe the water had something to do with it? Coming to her senses, she steered the ship clear of the next projectile - or two, as a second one came from the opposite side.

"Shit!" she cursed as she maneuvered the ship again, away from the blasts of the projectiles. This was going to be one intense battle.

" _Warning, incoming missiles detected,"_ EDI warned, and Martha pushed the throttle as the missiles came closer. Just before they hit, she pushed down, allowing the ship to dive underwater once more. She could see them fly harmlessly by her. Then, turning the ship, she pushed it upwards towards the surface. When she got there, she launched them in a straight line up above the ship, engaging the main thrusters as she did so, propelling them higher. Then, she angled it down again for a dive.

" _FIRE!"_ Dr. Alenkov yelled over the loudspeaker. All three weapons fired, hitting the shielding at the same time. The volley made the shield ripple like fireworks, but thankfully didn't punch through to destroy the ship. It also blocked vision of some, allowing Martha to pull up just in time to avoid a retaliation, causing a massive wave in response, along with a sonic boom. She saw the ship shake as she turned the _Normandy_ around.

" _Martha, go for a strafing run again, draw their fire to you, but don't dive this time. I want their attention on us. EDI, what is the status of our kinetic barriers?"_ Dr. Alenkov said to the A.I.

" _The_ Odyssey _'s kinetic barriers are down to fifty percent. Our kinetic barriers are down to forty percent, due to the constant bombardment from both the missiles and the torpedoes we had been hit with earlier,"_ EDI replied.

"Shit," Martha cursed.

" _Do not worry, Martha. For a first-time pilot, you are doing exceptionally well"_ EDI told her in what could only be described as comfort.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Jessica, her voice full of fear as the _Normandy_ shook once again under the pressure of another shot from the rail gun hitting the ship. Martha knew they can't play dodge ball with the _Odyssey_ forever. So while avoiding another hit, an idea struck.

"Give me the Thannix Cannon," Martha said.

"WHAT!" said all three of them turning to her.

"Trust me, I've seen this in the movies, I can pull this off. Then we would be able to get that shield array down," Martha said.

"No way, it's too risky! You just started driving and now you want to shoot, you're crazy!" said Lucas staring at her in disbelief.

"I just need one shot, and I think I can make it count," Martha said, sounding sure of herself, as she looked at the ship while maneuvering the _Normandy_ away from another rail gun blast.

" _Martha can you really handle the strain of flying the ship as well as handle the Thanix Cannon?"_ Dr. Alenkov's voice asked, sounding concerned.

"If my plan works, then this could be our one chance to get rid of the shield, but it will take a concentrated shot from all three to work its way down… I think," Martha said.

" _Explain"_ Alenkov said.

"Well… hold up!" Martha said and maneuvered the ship again to avoid a blast from the rail guns. Lucas shot at it with the torpedoes while Martha watched the shield.

"Well, I got an idea, it's crazy and stupid, but it just might work," she said.

" _Go on, we are all listening,"_ was the answer. Both Lucas and Ichigo looked at her as if she went mad. But Martha sighed as she thought this through.

"Ok, I got the idea from a movie. Ok, have you seen _Return of the Jedi?_ Or perhaps the original Star Wars movie? Well, this stupid idea is simple, and since I studied the Normandy's tech, I think I know how we can bring that shield down." Martha said while pulling the ship up and away from another blast, but she was too late and felt it hit.

" _Our kinetic barriers are down to thirty percent,"_ EDI said to Martha's left.

"Shit! Martha, you better know what the fuck you are doing?" said Jessica as she monitored the ship's shielding as well as communications this battle.

" _Martha, even if your crazy idea works, that would leave us exposed!"_ Dr. Alenkov replied, her voice worried and thoughtful at the same time.

"Think about it; EDI even said that it is part of my job to handle weapons if a situation calls for it, and this calls for it!" Martha replied, sounding desperate. If they were going to give the strike teams any sort of success, then sometimes crazy has to be done.

"Then what is the plan?" asked Lucas, not liking this argument any more than anyone else.

"Well, Normandy's kinetic barriers work on power with arrays moving in time with the blasts of the _Odyssey_. But what if it works the same way? Or, better yet, where the energy is most concentrated. They can't work on direct heat and projectiles. The only reason why the ship's missiles are ineffective against it is because of the kinetic energy used to deflect the missile. If we can somehow divert the energy from the array, that would leave it exposed. Unlike the _Normandy,_ where it has several arrays to protect it from projectiles, the _Odyssey_ probably has only one or three. But all of them answer to one main computer, find that and it's game over," Martha said to them.

There was silence coming from the group, no one said a thing while Martha maneuvered around a Japanese vessel.

" _Your plan could work."_ Surprisingly, it was EDI who spoke.

" _What do you mean?"_ asked Dr. Alenkov, sounding curious.

" _Martha is correct in that the kinetic barriers on the_ Normandy _do move in time with the projectiles coming in. Standard kinetic shielding only protects against debris or minor projectiles, and are useless against extreme heat and radiation. However, the_ Odyssey _is using a rail gun that consumes far more energy than standard projectile weapons. If we were to use the Thanix cannon we can overpower their shields. The extreme heat from the cannon can penetrate the shield at full power. Once it overloads, we can destroy the array, allowing the strike teams to attack,"_ EDI replied.

" _How many hits from the cannon can the Odyssey's shield take?"_ Dr. Alenkov asked just as another rumble was heard, this time, thankfully, the projectile hit the shield and not the ship itself.

"Whatever it is, come up with it fast, because they are getting better with their aiming," Jessica said just as the ship shook again. Martha was sweating with steering the ship away from the shots.

" _If my calculations are correct two hits should do it. One at full charge the second at ten percent. That should take out the shield and the array,"_ EDI replied.

" _Alright, Martha you have the cannon, but make each shot count. You have two shots. Don't miss,"_ Dr. Alenkov said before signing off.

"Alright, putting up Thanix cannon tactical display on screen. Hammerheads one and two, be advised, once the shield is down, you will be cleared for attack," Martha said and got an affirmative from both ships, before she started to move away from the ships. Pushing the ship a bit of a distance from both the fleet and the _Odyssey,_ she traveled a full ten miles before turning around. It was well out of range.

"What are you doing?" asked Lucas.

"I need a running start," Martha said as she zoomed in on the _Odyssey_. She picked up where the signals were coming from thanks to EDI, and diverted power from non-critical systems to boost the kinetic barriers. Then she pushed power into the engines and with maximum force, she surged the _Normandy_ forward. She could see them breaking the sound barrier as she started towards the ship, and even hear it, when the boom made the ship tremble. The other vessels did their best to steer clear of the _Normandy_ as it made its approach. But the entire time, Martha held her gaze on the HUD screen. The _Odyssey_ came into view, and all the while, shots ran wild as the ship began to fire back.

" _Kinetic barrier down to twenty percent,"_ EDI said, but Martha paid her no mind. She trusted the _Normandy_ and her capabilities. But she was prepared as she looked through the monitor. Both Ichigo and Lucas offered support as they kept the rail guns off with lasers and torpedoes. The entire time Martha waited and waited.

"Ocean Odyssey _now quarter of a mile and closing,"_ she said, and Martha fired the shot she was waiting for. A beam of light shot out and hit the Odyssey's shields, the waters visibly boiling around the superheated stream of metal. The shields absorbed it, but managed to hold. Martha maneuvered the _Normandy_ away again for another run. Turning it around, she took a second shot, this time with the power a fraction of its full blast. The shot went out…..

" _Direct hit!"_ Dr. Jenkins said over the intercom and repeated the phrase three times. A loud cheering went on throughout the ship just as Martha pulled away. The explosion on the top of the _Odyssey_ was enough to cause a ship wide cheering that had many people dancing.

" _Hammerheads_ One and Two, you are clear to strike, I repeat: you are clear to strike, shielding is down, I repeat: shielding is down, you have a go," Martha said between breaths as she relinquished control of the Thanix cannon to EDI. She leaned back, allowing the sweat that built up on her face be wiped away. She then felt something trickle down her nose and went to wipe, only for it to return red. The amount of focus she had to deal with had caused a nose bleed. But now that she no longer controlling the Normandy's primary weapon, everything went to normal.

"Shit! Martha!" shouted Jessica when she turned and finally noticed the blood on Martha's shirt.

Almost

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY_

Enrique and Micheal could not believe it when they saw the explosion in front of them. The ship they had come to know for over a decade had just blown the crap out of the shield generator that the pirates had installed on the top of the main control tower of the _Odyssey_. Both men struggled as they were thrown to the ground along with the other hostages. The pirates themselves fared no better, as some were thrown overboard. But what made matters even more astonishing was the rise of two smaller ships from the water and men and women pouring out. Guns blazing, these folks with their helmets on began to fire on the pirates. Reacting quickly, Tao-Yun and his men began to fire back, while Tao-Yun himself yelled instructions.

Micheal, who was closest to the plank, was quickly hauled away by one of their rescuers and secured next to Enrique. Both men had their bindings cut loose and were forced to remain down.

"You guys alright?" said a very familiar voice. It was then that these men knew exactly who they were dealing with.

" _Senor_ Lawoski?" asked Enrique, surprised at the sound of the American that came to their rescue. He and several others had joined from the opposite side as shots were fired. Flashes of light were seen coming off of Major Lawoski's suit as he fired back at the pirates. It was then that both men realized that the gun he was carrying was one of the alien devices.

"I knew it!" said one of the scientists as he saw him lift up from where he was hiding and fired on several pirates on the tower. He was yelling into his device at someone. Suddenly, a loud BANG was heard from the distance behind Lawoski, and the man on the tower went down, his head exploded along with the wall behind him. Shocked, they watched as this group of men surged forward, both of them too stunned to move. They had not realized just how many pirates there were to shoot. But still, being unable to fight, the two men could only watch as Major Lawoski and several men disappeared into the ship's interior. Hoping to get a look at the ships they came in, Enrique slowly got up from his hiding place and using the lifeboats as cover he managed to peek over the side to see the ships himself.

He suddenly felt someone push him down just as a bullet came flying by. Enrique cursed his carelessness and turned to see Micheal. The man was holding him, but the blood on his face shown that the bullet had hit him. Thankfully, after a flare of panic welling up inside him, he noticed the bullet had only grazed Micheal's forehead, leaving a burn and a possible scar. Both men quickly remained behind cover, while guns were going off on the deck and interior of the ship. Several other crew members were also hiding and hoping to get away. One person, however had gotten an unlucky bullet to the head just as he was about to move spots due to the fighting. The floor was littered with his gray matter, giving a hint to just how powerful these guns were.

Just as things had gotten worse, the large mothership fired a single shot that landed just beside the ship. That caused all around them to cease fire. The alien vessel came closer as its shadow loomed over the ship. Enrique now got a good look at the very vessel that he had passed by many times before. It was even more beautiful than he had ever seen with its large wings and sleek body. It lowered itself to just above the vessel and its large cannons pivoted to point directly at the ship. Suddenly, a broadcast came from the vessel.

" _This is Dr. Elenna Alenkov of the_ Normandy _. You are to surrender yourselves now, or this vessel and all on it will be vaporized,"_ she said and just as she said it, the cannons that Enrique were staring down at began to glow a bright blue. Both he and Micheal became nervous as the air around the barrels became ionized by heat. He could feel it as he felt a burning sensation.

Then, as it started, all the pirates began to raise their hands in surrender.

All, that is, except Tao-Yun. He raised his gun at the nearest man, but not before being surrounded by a blue light. Paralyzed, he could not move as he floated there, waiting for something to happen. Just a few seconds after, the cannon shut down and was pulled back into the ship. A door was then lowered from the part of the ship that protruded from the main body, becoming a ramp. There stood Dr. Alenkov with several other people, all of them armed and dangerous, and all of them had their guns trained on the pirates. Beside Dr. Alenkov was a man with his hand out and glowing blue. He was the one holding Tao-Yun. Enrique could not hear what was being said, but the man eventually lowered his arm as his concentration faltered, giving the armed men enough time to put Tao-Yun in handcuffs and drag him off. Shocked that it was finally over, both men, along with the other hostages, came out of hiding. Dr. Alenkov walked down the ramp calmly, but he could see the tension in her eyes.

In fact, he could see more of that, now that he got a good look at her. She had clearly lost a lot of weight, and the bags under her eyes were more noticeable than ever. Her skin was deathly pale from lack of sunlight and her blond hair was no longer the healthy sheen it once was. She was pretty much a mess, they all were, but now that they were here, both men were glad they could finally end this nightmare. The wind picked up when the ship finally got close enough to touch the _Odyssey_. It was placed on the rear helipad of the _Odyssey,_ which allowed the people on the ship to get off. As they had done so, the smaller ships moved away and then back into the ship, leaving them alone at the entrance of the largest and, so far, the _only_ space-faring vessel of its kind on Earth.

Enrique was entranced as people began to filter out, carrying stretchers and medical equipment they had not seen before, and began to help those in need. Both men walked up to Dr. Alenkov as she stepped onto the helipad. The people who wore the armor then took the pirates, gathering them all together, and held them at gunpoint. As they had done so, more ships began to gather around them. Meaning, the other vessels from other nations had finally been able to offer their help in securing the ship. Enrique and Micheal both had a sense of new-found hope now, that things will get better, at least for them.

KAILUA KONA, HAWAII

" _We interrupt this program to bring you the latest in happenings from around the world,"_ the broadcaster said, interrupting a sports game that was playing on the television. Getting up, Aaron looked at the screen to see the man that was broadcasting being panned in front of the screen.

" _Aloha everyone, thank you for joining in. We just received word that the_ Ocean Odyssey _has been reclaimed by the international efforts of the U.N. navy. The crew members who had been kept hostage onboard the_ Odyssey _are now being treated for shock, nutritional needs and injuries obtained during their time onboard the ship. Many of them are finally able to return home after months out at sea. Unfortunately, there are confirmed reports of those that have lost their lives as well. They will be remembered. Their families are likely being notified as I speak. Also in our broadcast, the vessel that made the rescue happen just happens to be the very vessel that the_ Odyssey _was studying in the first place. The newly-christened_ Normandy _has risen out of the ocean and, in a daredevil rescue effort, broken through the barrier that the_ Odyssey _had set up, to mount the rescue themselves. Even though some say it was a gutsy move, others condemned the commander of the vessel, Dr. Elenna Alenkov, for putting her crew in danger, though she assures people that the vessel could handle herself."_

Aaron was in shock at the sight before him as the vessel floated just above the _Ocean Odyssey_ , its doors open, with people pouring in and out of it. Medical teams from other ships had docked with the ship to enter the cargo hold, and even a camera came into view. The footage that they shot showed the people onboard the _Odyssey_ getting treated, as well as those on the alien vessel getting looked at. Food and supplies were going around, and then the scene changed again to show the broadcasters as they went on about other things relating to the incident that happened, the announcements that were taking place in the world governments, and the science community in total. Now things are looking different and Aaron now wanted, more than ever, to see Martha again. His hope was coming to light just as the broadcasters told them that there will be more in the six' and ten o'clock news broadcasts.

He was overjoyed that they made it, and now he just couldn't wait till later, when they finally could get back together again.

Because all he could do is hope.

TBC

 **a/n: Whew writing action sequences are hard to do! Trying to get the angle of things correct can be painful on the hands as well as on the mind. I had to write this chapter separate from the rest to give the Normandy its own action sequence. Though I hope it was satisfying enough I had to look up how the Normandy would react to a situation such as this without killing everyone onboard. It was a scenario that played around and around in my head and then I realized that the games might provide the answer. So I played Mass Effect Andromeda which my boyfriend gave me the year prior for Christmas. I played the game and the ending sequence is what got me thinking about this strategy with how the Normandy can play a role in rescuing the Odyssey. So what do you guys think? Please leave a review and remember no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS AND FLAMES PLEASE! And thank you once again to my ever so awesome beta for helping out as far as staying on track with M.E. tech is concerned you are the best.**


	20. Take Me Out To the Black

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Ok I am going to make this simple to the many of you who are asking early. When I get to part two I will basically overhaul the story since there are parts in it that are too off the wall without explanation. So if you can have some patience and stop giving me countless ridiculous suggestions then I can move on. On the other note I have currently moved in with my boyfriend's family so things are a bit crazy on my end.**

 **Oh and the final note someone mentioned, the Omega 4 relay in the Prologue. Let me make a few things clear about that I said, the Omega 4 was one of the FEW remaining mass relays still intact. Remember the ending that the prologue was based off of the SYNTHESIS ending in Mass Effect 3. The one where Shep managed to combine both organic and synthetic together. As for the galactic core, the Normandy was only able to reach that far because of the few mass relays that were intact, and the fact that the Reapers had helped to repair Earth's relay so people can leave. The galactic core was not comprised of Collectors but ROGUE Reapers! Those few Reapers used the gravity wells of the many stars and black holes to protect them from harm. So before you start bashing me any further about that please read the chapter more carefully, and ask first for clarification before bashing and trolling my rear end. I personally don't need this crap right now in my life. Thanks.**

 **MASS EFFECT THE IMMORTAL SERIES PART 1: FLIGHT OF THE NORMANDY**

 **Chapter 17: Take me out to the Black**

 _NORMANDY_

"Martha, really, you should not have done it if the risks were too high!" scolded Dr. Amari as he looked at Martha's now-bloody face. Her nose bled for a good five minutes, thoroughly staining her clothes, before she could register the fact that her nose was bleeding. After the liberation of the _Odyssey_ , Martha was escorted to the medical wing where the doctors could tend to her nose. They also did a brain scan to see if there was any other damage. Other than a bit of mental strain and lack of proper nutrition, which was normal throughout the ship, Martha was fine.

" _If I may, Dr. Amari?"_ EDI asked through the ship's loudspeakers.

"Go ahead EDI, why was she bleeding when she was trying to shoot the cannon?" asked Dr. Amari.

" _I'm afraid that was a mistake on my part,"_ she said and before the Doctor could ask why she went on, _"Being as I was in charge of the Thanix Cannon's controls, I am used to a faster rate of thinking. Martha's mind is fast enough, but I forgot to adjust the settings of the mental strain to human standards. For that, I apologize,"_ EDI replied sounding remorseful.

"EDI, first off, how can you forget about human biological needs? You are a computer. You need to understand that the human brain has limitations and those limitations can be fatal at times like these. You are lucky you didn't liquefy Martha's brain!" Dr. Amari said to the glowing orb on the side by the desk.

" _Once again, I apologize for that glitch in my memory banks,"_ EDI replied to him, still sounding remorseful.

"Still, you could have killed her! So next time you give the controls to Martha, or anyone else for that matter, try to adjust the mental settings to human standards," Dr. Amari scolded.

" _Acknowledged."_

The door suddenly opened behind him, and Dr. Alenkov walked into the medical ward.

"How it she?" she asked, worry clearly evident in her tone of voice, as well as weariness.

"She will be fine, EDI forgot to turn down the mental readouts on the targeting system, so Martha was only suffering a drawback from it." Dr. Amari explained as he let Martha sleep off her headache. The girl was more than happy to head back to her room. The episode with the battle had gotten to her, and she wanted some time to rest.

Dr. Alenkov watched her go, concern on her face. Dr. Amari rubbed two fingers on the bridge of his nose as she saw the dark circles in his eyes.

"Malik, when was the last time you've gotten any sleep?" she asked.

"Not for a while. I am also treating the people who came from the _Odyssey,_ as you can see here," he said, waving his arms to the men and women sleeping in the limited beds. He knew that others were also being treated in the lower decks, but the more serious ones were taken up here. Some of them had bullet holes from stray bullets, while others only sun burn. He and Dr. Shenoy examined the most critically injured, since they knew more about the operation of the medical equipment than the others. He had to do a few surgeries on them to extract the bullets from their bodies. But some, especially the team that performed the rescue, had come off of it unscathed.

"I will find someone else who can take over the care of your patients while you rest, doctor. I need you at your best," she said to him and the doctor nodded as he moved towards one of the empty beds reserved for him and Dr. Shenoy. The Indian doctor was already asleep, with the privacy curtains keeping out anyone who wanted to disturb him. Amari curled up into bed, and before anyone could say anything to him, he was dead to the world.

Dr. Alenkov smiled at his resilience before asking some of the others who were familiar with the equipment to watch over the patients. She then walked out towards the elevators she needed to speak to the other scientists onboard the ship about _Normandy's_ condition.

 _NORMANDY_ BRIDGE

"Wow, I have to admit, this is some vessel," said Enrique as he looked around the cockpit for the first time.

"I take it you never wondered what the ship would look like when we figured out how to use it?" asked Major Lawoski as he joined Enrique on a tour of the ship he had been diving to for the past ten years. He was also accompanied by Micheal, the latter having been cleared from the medical ward by the _Odyssey's_ doctor.

"Oh I did, _Señor,_ I did, but things had been hectic, especially after I had to cart the scientists down through the depths into the dark gloom." Enrique replied.

" _The idea for exploration has been in your history for some time, Mr. Fernandez. Even as far back as your ancestors go. If I am not mistaken, your Spanish ancestors discovered the American continent more than half a millennia ago. Even before that, many Native American tribes have lived there and they, too, migrated from the Asian continent. So the idea of exploration and migration has been embedded into your genetic structure since the dawn of your species,"_ said a voice, and both Micheal and Enrique jumped at the sound of such a synthetic voice.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that we also discovered the artificial intelligence of the ship. Guys, meet E.D.I., short for Enhanced Defense Intelligence," said Major Lawoski, smiling from behind them.

Both men jumped when EDI's holographic form appeared right to the side of them, causing them further hesitation, until the Major put his hands on their shoulders.

"Come on, guys, introduce yourselves," he said with a cheer.

"Um, I am Micheal Cameron, filmmaker, photographer and underwater explorer," Micheal said.

"Enrique, I just pilot the submersibles," Enrique said.

" _It is my pleasure to meet you gentlemen, though I must apologize for your discomfort, I didn't mean any harm in being a bit rash, but I thought it was fun to surprise you. I am also here to inform Major Lawoski that Martha is now sleeping in her quarters with only a mild ailment and no permanent damage. She should be fine in a few hours,"_ with that, the holographic form disappeared, leaving the two men there alone with the Major.

" _Señorita_ Martha is still here?" asked Enrique.

"I guess I better fill you boys in on what happened while you were held hostage," Major Lawoski said.

SOMETIME LATER

"Wow, I never thought that she could be so…..strange," said Micheal as he ate his meal. It was the first meal they had in weeks, as the pirates only gave them bits and pieces of food to sustain them, but when when it came to actual meals….the pirates had the best.

"Well, she has her perks, but Martha... well, out of all of us, she has more brains than half the scientists onboard this ship," said Major Lawoski as he finished his third bowl of soup. It was the best thing he had tasted in a long time. And it was Thai food, so it was spicy, just how he liked it.

"I would not give her _all_ the credit, mate," said Major Reynolds who gladly joined them for a meal. He and his team had just finished their rounds of the ships and he was enjoying his down time. For once, glad to pass the torch to someone who can help with the _Normandy's_ security.

"Aw, come on! She was the one who figured out the ship's secret. I mean, it took them what, _forty_ years to figure out one small thing about the biotic genome?" Major Lawoski said to his friend and partner.

"Now, now, boys, we don't know how that science stuff works, so cool it, OK?" said Micheal.

"Yeah we know, it is just a fun thought if you think about it," said Major Lawoski.

"Just imagine my thoughts of coming onboard this ship without the use of submarines and deep sea vehicles. The shit is going to hit the fan once people on land figure out that the alien vessel is alive and kicking. Not only that, but there is an artificial intelligence with vast amounts of knowledge, just... holy shit!" Micheal could not express his glee at such a possibility.

Thankfully enough, it was Enrique who helped calm his friend down as he placed a hand on Micheal's shoulder, " _Señor,_ do me a favor, one thing at a time, one thing at a time," Micheal responded by putting his hand over Enrique's to signify that he understood before returning to his meal, and a drink that thankfully was handed to him. All this excitement made him want to just sit down and have a stiff drink to absorb it all.

DREAM SEQUENCE

 _Death_

 _That is all she could see around her, as buildings lay crumbling and people were dying. She could hear their screams as she walked past them. Men, women, children dying, and the sounds of gunfire littered the streets._

Where am I? _She thought as she looked around her, her eyes only seeing the darkness of the sunless sky._

 _Suddenly, a loud booming sound was heard, like a horn from far away. She quickly turned her head and saw, for the first time, something out of a sci-fi movie. Eyes growing wide, she witnessed a monstrous thing land in front of her. It resembled a squid with its massive arms and tapered head. But what shocked her was another one landing beside it that resembled a beetle. It opened what was supposed to be its wings and a read light shot out, decimating everything. She began to run when the squid-like one in front of her opened its central chambers._

 _Pumping her legs as fast as she could, she could feel the beam and hear it firing as it came for her. Then all she could see was nothing but red….._

 _END DREAM SEQUENCE_

Martha shot out from her sleep with a scream to her mouth. Gasping for air, she found herself once again on the _Normandy_ and in her room that she has occupied for months. The room was a lot more lit than it was before. She looked at her hands and noticed that it was warm and filled with light. As she looked around, her bed was also lit up with an uncharacteristic light. Looking up, she noticed that the window above her was lit with the light of the sun.

 _Daylight_ she realized, and then the events of earlier hit her memory. The battle with the _Odyssey_ , the fight with the submarines, her piloting the world's only alien vessel….

"Holy shit!" she said out loud as she held her chest. Breathing deeply and trying to catch her breath, Martha looked around the room. The normalcy of it soothed her, as the soft music playing from the holographic radio allowed her to rest. But the images of the dream plagued her as she held her hands to her face. The dream was so vivid that it was almost real.

" _Is everything alright, Martha?"_ EDI's voice filled the overhead speakers.

"Yeah, just a bad dream that is all," Martha replied.

" _Care to speak of it? It would help. I found that your species is most comforted when speaking about such instances,"_ EDI replied.

Martha had to think about it before replying, "No, it's alright, EDI, it was just a bad dream, it's no big deal." Her face betrayed her. Her mind knew that it was a lie; the dream felt real, but still she would keep it to herself until she knew what was going on.

LATER

Martha slowly walked into the observation room, or one of the many observation rooms on the ship. Here, people walked past her, but she never thought to say hi to anyone. Her mind was preoccupied by the other thing that had been plaguing her since the dream.

The sun.

It has been so long since she saw the sun grace the skies, and she longed to see it. Martha walked into the port side observation room. The shutters were closed, of course, to keep the light out or to protect the ship. She looked around till she saw a large red button glowing on the right side of the large windows. Slowly, she reached out with her fingers, touching the button. Then, a sound of something moving showed. Then, slowly, the shutters opened to reveal the light of the midday sun.

Painfully blinded at first, Martha waited for her eyes to adjust, before marveling at the beauty of the world beyond the ship. The naval ships that sat there rocking in the ocean swells gave her a view she could have only imagined, trapped in the abyss. As the sun shone high, she looked in wonder at the large wing that was the Normandy's left side.

"EDI, how big is this ship?" Martha asked.

" _See for yourself, you are allowed outside. The_ Normandy _is docked with the_ Odyssey _as it is the current ship that can withstand the width of the_ Normandy's _cargo ramp,"_ EDI replied.

Martha quickly raced towards the elevator, taking it down to the lowest deck on the ship. She had never been here before, as it was covered in rock. But, when she got there, the sight that shocked her was the amount of beds that were pitched up for the people here. Everywhere she looked, there were beds for many people. Others, that she assumed were medics, were moving about. They were checking on people and some, she saw, were soldiers by their dress.

Most looked to be badly hurt and some had blankets covering them. Martha knew what that meant, but still, there were those who were in need of care. There were machines that Martha had not seen before, walking over to them, their strange humanoid shapes offering medical aid to those whom had not seen a human doctor.

Still, at the end of the large room was the ocean and the light of the sun. Slowly, Martha walked towards the light. When she got there, all she could see was the waves and the _Ocean Odyssey_ that was below. Slowly, Martha stepped onto the ship, being careful to avoid the men and women rushing in and out of the _Normandy_. As she had done so, she began to feel the sway of the _Odyssey_ beneath her. The ocean rocked the ship and Martha began to feel it after being so long on the _Normandy_.

It took about ten minutes before she got her sea legs again, and being so weak, she was constantly tossed on the deck. But once she had gotten her bearings, she stood up straight and felt the wind in her hair. The smell of the ocean filled her lungs, as well as the taste of sea water. Taking tentative steps, she walked towards the railings. As she got to the railings, she could see the ships in the distance. Some docked with the _Odyssey_ and many sailors getting on and off the boats. The secondary helipad that was created for the ship has been the only one allowing sailors to get on or off if they were seeking medical treatment.

Turning around, Martha turned to see the _Normandy_ in all its glory. But what she saw made her quickly want to go as far away from the ship as possible. She was not afraid of the ship, but rather, she wanted to see it in its entire glory. Walking away from the deck, she went towards the one place she could see the ship: the bridge. Remembering the way from her brief time on the _Odyssey,_ Martha noticed the smoking remains of the rail guns, as well as the other defenses that were haphazardly welded onto the ship. She watched as military crew members worked to remove the remnants of the pirates' interference from the _Odyssey_. Getting as far away as she could Martha turned towards the alien vessel.

What she saw took her breath away.

" _Admiring the view?"_ EDI's voice said from her left arm. Jumping in shock, Martha had forgotten the omni-tool was still there. Lifting her arm, she saw the holographic form wrap around her forearm and the image of EDI's orb filled the screen in front of her.

"It's beautiful, EDI," Martha said. She meant by what she said the ship did look beautiful. It was sleek and silvery with its tapered wings and twin engines on either side. If she didn't know any better, it could have easily passed off as man-made. But the ship was way older than any human on the planet. She had no idea how a ship as beautiful as the _Normandy_ survived for this long without some wear and tear. But, then again, she doesn't know how EDI could have survive the eons without preservation.

As she looked, the ship seemed to be floating just above the surface, with its ramp just touching the _Odyssey_. Magnetic clamps seemed to hold the ship in place while it was docked to the _Odyssey_. People coming and going from the ship were finding it strange to feel rocking from the _Odyssey_ but not on the _Normandy_. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the Normandy was _above_ the water. Martha could not tell but, either way, she saw for the first time the _Normandy_ as a ship to be admired.

"So that is what it means to pilot the most state-of-the-art vessel," Martha said to herself.

" _You are correct,"_ EDI replied from Martha's omni-tool. Martha looked down at her left forearm to the device in question. It was glowing briefly before fading from existence. As it was, the device was something that Martha had grown used to. As it vanished, she looked up at the Normandy in all its glory once again.

"If I am the rightful pilot, does that mean I can decide on what to do with the ship?" Martha asked.

" _No, that decision rests with Dr. Alenkov, whom is now the commander of the ship. You can, however make a suggestion to her, and she could decide if she would go through with it or not,"_ EDI replied. Martha looked up at the ship, her mind wandering to something she was missing. Then she remembered the nightmare she had.

"EDI, remember when I told you that I had a nightmare?" Martha asked.

" _I remember it clearly and, for your privacy, I kept it hidden in my data files so that no one would hear or see the conversation. Though there are no cameras in the room, there are inferred and biological scanners. That way I can keep an eye on my crew members in case of an emergency,"_ EDI replied.

"Thanks," Martha replied as she looked over the water from her vantage point on the deck. As she looked, she could see the many crew members of the _Odyssey_ and the many people brought in from other ships. They were going over other things with each other and some even humorously trying to say something.

Taking a deep breath, Martha looked up at the _Normandy_ sitting just off the backside of the ship, floating there as the _Odyssey_ rocked in the waves. It was floating there while the ramp seemed to move slightly with the ship. But Martha thought to herself that the ship must have been designed for different places to land and moving landing points must be one of them. But she was getting distracted again. Taking another deep breath, she then sighed before speaking again.

"Well the nightmare I had...it bothered me a lot," Martha said.

" _Sometimes, dreams feel so real that they are kept in the mind, Martha. It is what makes you human, to understand and to interpret the dreams you have. Go ahead, take your time, I am always listening,"_ EDI replied.

"Well….the dream seems real. I am walking down the street and it is dark. Not a night scene, mind you, but it looks like something out of a war zone with smoke blocking out the sun. Bodies are everywhere, all of them so grotesque that I don't know if they were human or not. Then, as I turned the corner I hear this gigantic roar, like some sort of monster. Then I turned and looked to see something coming from the sky. It looked like a massive squid, except it is black and metallic. Its eyes were that of a machine, cold and distant. Yet, it seemed to be looking at me... Then it shot a beam of light and… well, I woke up," Martha said. She felt as if the A.I. had somehow lifted something from her. Normally she would talk to Aaron but he is not here and Dr. Zenger is probably overwhelmed with people trying to seek help. Her other friends were also busy, by the looks of it, trying to decipher data and things that went above her head. Even Hilary was unable to be bothered. It made Martha feel sad knowing that there is not a soul to speak to...except EDI.

"EDI?" Martha said wondering if the computer will respond.

" _I am still here... The dreams... they are not dreams, Martha,"_ That shocked her as she heard this.

"What?" Martha replied, feeling a cold chill running down her spine at the A.I.'s tone.

" _It would seem as if you somehow absorbed some of my memory blocks. The vision you saw was of the destruction of my homeworld. The giant creature you saw is called a Reaper, and is an enemy to all organic life. They harvest advanced civilizations and feed on the organic matter. The image you saw must have been downloaded from the nanites that repaired you. Or it could have happened during the data dump upon first activation. Either way, it was not a dream,"_ EDI replied.

Martha was stunned. Something from EDI's past? She never thought about that. She knew that she must have downloaded something, but memories? She was curious to see what she can gather.

"EDI, what are Reapers?" Martha asked.

" _It is something that I wish to discuss with Dr. Alenkov when the time comes, but for you, I will show you once you return to your cabin."_ EDI replied. Martha nodded her reply, even though EDI can't see her. She repeated the phrase vocally before walking among the ship's crew, glad to get off the _Normandy_ for a bit.

SOME TIME LATER

"I am sorry that you have to go, Jessica," said Lucas as the group stood on the deck. That was where Martha found them sometime later. Jessica was smiling sadly, but she shook her head.

"Look, this adventure thing it was fun, but I miss home and Dr. Alenkov promised to get me back home as my tenure is up," Jessica replied.

"What is going on?" Martha asked as she caught up with everyone. They stood on one of the helicopter decks of the _Ocean Odyssey_. Because of its size, the ship manages to hold at least three flight decks for both submarines and helicopters. The sheer scale of the ship was awe-inspiring. Nearly the size of an aircraft carrier, the _Ocean Odyssey_ is a _massive_ ship. Martha never thought that a ship that size could be in existence. In fact, when she first boarded the _Odyssey_ it never seemed that big. But, then again, she'd only been to her room and the galley, and never really explored the ship.

Now that she had seen it, there was still much to explore. But for now, however, she was here on the helipad furthest from the _Normandy_ to say goodbye to those of the crew who were leaving. Some of them were going to return with the other ships, while a few of the scientists were staying with the _Odyssey,_ their medical conditions preventing them from any further travel with the _Normandy_. One of the few leaving was Jessica, who wanted to return home after all this adventuring. Martha never knew she was leaving, considering that she was sleeping at the time.

"I... am leaving," Jessica said.

"Leaving?" Martha inquired, and Lucas filled her in on why Jessica is leaving. Martha was stunned, but, then again, she could understand. The woman had been away from home far longer than Martha had, about two years. Jessica had very low eezo amounts in her blood, but that was due to the fact that her father spent time overseas. She developed the biotic abilities at an early age. But it was never developed to the point of being dangerous. Even so, she remembered Jessica sharing her story and as a subject, she was allowed to go home.

Unlike Martha, who was now the pilot of the ship.

" _I will miss you Jessica, you were a fun person to talk to,"_ EDI said to her.

Jessica started to cry as she hugged everyone again. The wind caused by the helicopter was overwhelming, "I will miss you too, EDI," she said as she grabbed her bags and boarded. Everyone stepped back as she waved and the helicopter took off.

The group that was staying was mostly everyone, with the exception of Jessica. Lucas and Ichiro both had reasons to stay. Lucas because he was an intern as well as one of the test subjects. Ichiro was mainly because of Hilary. Now that their relationship was in full swing, it was hard to leave. Martha, on the other hand, couldn't leave. It was made plain and simple because of her status as the ship's pilot. At least, not yet. As she looked up to see the helicopter grow smaller and smaller in the sky, she began to wonder if there was any chance at all of going home.

As if reading her thoughts, EDI spoke up:

" _When we get the Normandy fueled up and on dry land, I will request for Dr. Alenkov to let you return home. You have been away long enough, and I find that returning to your family unit, is beneficial to a human's mental health. Unless the person comes from a mentally ill home, a family unit helps with mental support,"_ EDI said as Martha looked at the now reddening sky.

"Yeah, it does, but I also want to return to Aaron," she replied.

" _I understand,"_ EDI said thought there was a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Martha sounding worried.

" _You just reminded me of someone I once knew a very long time ago,"_ EDI replied and was quiet afterwards. Martha only stared at her left arm where her omni-tool was located. She then looked out towards the line of ships. She knew that eventually she would have to return home.

MEANWHILE

Dr. Alenkov was sitting at her desk when a buzzer went off. Hitting the holographic button, she replied with an 'enter,' and the doors opened to reveal Enrique.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Fernandez?" she asked as she finished typing her report.

"Nothing much, doctor, I was just wondering around the ship seeing the sights and enjoying the views," he joked. But at the expression on Dr. Alenkov's face Enrique became serious again as he sat down, "Look doctor have you ever thought about what could have happened when you activated such a ship?" he asked.

"I have thought about it every day Enrique, but every day, I told myself I would not have done it any other way. The _Normandy_ is an essential ship, it is key to the betterment of humanity. I tell that to myself everyday. And at the same time, I mourn the loss of crew mates who never got to see the ship come alive." Alenkov said to him.

"I understand, more than anyone, what you are going through, Elenna. But what would the scientific community think when they hear how you activated the ship?" he asked.

"Enrique, you hold the mantle of leadership for as long as I have, and not take any risks. That is what separates me from Alexandria Wilcox. I take risks to my job and my life to protect my crew. The _Normandy_ was a risk that I was willing to take to keep my people alive," Dr. Alenkov replied.

"I am not complaining, _señorita,_ about the activation and I understand your reasons as to why it was activated in the first place. My question to you is: are you ready to deal with the political backlash, as well as the press conference this will lead to?" Enrique said.

Dr. Alenkov leaned back and folded her arms, expression remaining neutral throughout the conversation, "I am ready and have always been ready since day one, Enrique."

"I hope so, because I am not going to lie, it is going to be a shit storm when you return to land," Enrique replied.

"I know," Dr. Alenkov said. It was then that Enrique also looked around, before spotting something near the window. It was a flat platform one that he had seen numerous times across the ship.

"You know the A.I. sometimes gives me the creeps," he said.

"EDI makes everyone nervous who is not a crew member. But she has earned our trust so far. The A.I. has been beneficial in getting off the sea floor," Dr. Alenkov replied. She leaned back into her chair and reached for her drink, her back starting to hurt from hours of writing reports. Enrique was still unsure about the whole thing so he pressed further.

"I've read your initial report about the A.I. and the technology that the _Normandy_ possesses, and what it could do for mankind. However, I still have my concerns for the technology falling into the wrong hands" Enrique commented as he, too, leaned back.

"You mean if Alexandria Wilcox gets her hands on this technology?" Dr. Alenkov replied, her face serious.

"You saw, Elenna, what those submarines were. No country, other than their country of origin, should have that kind of firepower. But yet, they have it, and now the political balance is about to shift," he said.

"Indeed it is, and the way things are going, it is going to be a very big shift. But what I have uncovered here in the past few months will help with moving mankind past simple political gains. For now, though, let the politicians grumble. My main objective is to my crew and to finding Alexandria. She has much to answer for in the mass murder of hundreds of people," Dr. Alenkov replied, her voice suddenly dropping to a dangerous growl.

"What do you mean?" asked Enrique.

" _What she means is the events of what happened in the Element Zero Core a few months back. It was discovered then, that many people have been found inside the core, dying of element zero exposure and radiation burns. Those that we did find and have identified were those who had come onto the ship before and were subjected to the_ Normandy's _subliminal messaging system."_ EDI replied.

"Subliminal systems?" asked Enrique.

"She means the ship's communications system. The ship is designed for aliens who have psychic abilities which allows them to receive subliminal messaging to acquire information. That way, it would be easier for them to get orders carried out." Dr. Alenkov replied to him.

"Oh," was the reply back.

"Alexandria has committed murder to a very high degree and so far, we've only identified twenty or so individuals. But the amount of bodies in there, from what EDI has reported, is several hundred people, either scientists or people who were biotic test subjects. I also did research into others who could be victims and there are many more outside of the old rosters that might have fallen victim to the core." Dr. Alenkov replied.

"My question is how did they get onboard?" asked Enrique when he sat down.

"I don't know, but I would like Micheal to be here to listen to this. EDI, could you please summon Micheal Cameron here? I would like him to hear this, because we could use his expertise on this," Dr. Alenkov replied.

" _Mr. Cameron is on his way,"_ was the reply from EDI.

"Good," Dr. Alenkov replied, before the doors opened and Micheal walked in. When he sat down, Dr. Alenkov quickly filled him in on what's going on. Intrigued, Micheal began to put his own senses into the problem.

"So you are saying that Wilcox deliberately smuggled in these people and then had them die in the core? That does not make sense to me. I mean, why the core? Shouldn't she have known that there are people who are down there every single day, taking readings of the radiation and output of the core itself?" Micheal asked.

"As we now know, the part of the core that everyone thought of as the engine room, was simply one of the heat sinks. The actual engine room was well-hidden by holograms. However, the heat-sinks had been working for the past 325 million years. That made it ridiculously hot. The ship's shielding protected us so far, before activation. That is what Alexandria planned on when she placed those people there," Dr. Alenkov replied.

"So she smuggles them in and then what? When she lands them in the core, how did they manage to survive or burn?" asked Micheal.

It was Enrique who figured it out, "She used the trauma caused by the subliminal messages to inhibit them even more. She somehow used the technology to enhance and accelerate the deterioration of the victims normal brain functions." he said and Micheal looked confused at first till Dr. Alenkov explained it better.

"It is like a narcotic. A person grows addicted to it as much as a person grows insane from it. Take, for instance, heroin. It produces chemicals that allows a person to relax and feel good. That way, it would be easier for someone else to take over and take advantage of them. Usually, it would be the drug dealers or the people handing out the heroin, or an even better example, opium. These drugs makes a person crave more. But once you go for longer periods of time on the drug, your brain deteriorates till you are put in a mental ward for such low mental functions. The same happened here many times and that is why we had biotics go up to get some rest, since they are more receptive to it than normal people." she then pulled out a tablet with some test results. "Unfortunately, long exposures to element zero here, started to affect the scientists as well." she then showed them both the reports she had given months ago to Dr. Bethune in New Zealand.

The looks on both their faces were priceless to say the least.

"You think Wilcox will exploit this?" said Micheal.

"I would bet my ass on it, so we must be careful. Also, I need you both to keep an eye on the crew. I have a feeling the person who was supplying the bodies is still onboard. EDI will assist you in any way she can," said Dr. Alenkov.

"But what if our investigation leads us off ship and away from the _Normandy_?" asked Enrique.

"I will have Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds supply you with the equipment you need. Take care gentlemen," said Dr. Alenkov. Both men stood up and walked out, and as the door shut, Dr. Alenkov turned towards EDI, "What do you think?"

" _Both men are willing to help. Mr. Fernandez is most interested in the ship's operations, he would be a vital replacement for Dr. Jenkins as he has left along with Ms. Rodgers onboard the last helicopter,"_ EDI replied.

"What about Micheal?" she asked.

" _Mr. Cameron is a renowned filmmaker, his specialty would be valued on the ship as a communication's officer. But I also have a recommendation for that position as well since the_ Normandy _is built for reconnaissance."_ EDI replied.

"Who…?" was the question.

 _OCEAN ODYSSEY'S_ HANGER BAY

Martha stared at the two submersibles, hanging just above the two doors below her. Already, crews were checking and rechecking equipment to make sure that nothing else was damaged, and to secure the six submersibles that sat in the bays. Already, the memory of that first dive into the abyss was like a lost dream to Martha. She could see how the ships were made to attach themselves to the _Normandy_. Two large door attachments were seen from the side of the subs. These were also the main doors to load and unload cargo to and from the subs.

Running her hands along them, she could remember her first dive. The sights she had seen from the deep sea were amazing, if not somewhat creepy.

"What are they going to do with these now?" she asks EDI as she ran her hand softly across the one that she rode in, the number bright as day on them.

" _They will be repurposed to suit deep sea exploration as they have always done. Now that the_ Normandy _is on the surface, they can commit to exploring the deep ocean. Since they are capable to traveling to the bottom of the Challenger Deep, they will be stationed there."_ EDI replied.

"Wow," Martha said as she looked through one of the windows to see the controls. Being careful to avoid the crew, she slipped out of the hangar to explore more of the ship. This led her to the labs where many things from the _Normandy_ were labeled, and people were busy examining each and every object. Some, she recognized as the newer objects that were there, but there was one thing that drew her closer.

It was a large object that stood off to the corner. It resembled a sort of rocket launcher with the tube pointing upwards. As she came closer, however, she could feel something from it. Something dark and sinister….

FLASHBACK

 _She could feel them clawing their way to her. Try to get to her. She felt the heat of the Eezo core behind her as she fought them off with nothing but a blade. Still they kept coming and still they kept clawing. In the background, Martha could make out the spires, but they were still buried. Bodies still hanging from them as if they were nothing._

END OF FLASHBACK

Martha quickly snapped out of it as she looked at the object in front of her. Fear suddenly came to her at the memory of that horrific event.

" _Are you alright Martha? You heart rate suddenly skyrocketed and your brainwaves are erratic, do you need medical assistance?"_ EDI replied sounding worried.

"No, no it was a bad memory, one triggered from this thing," Martha replied as she looked at the object in front.

" _That object is dangerous, do not have anyone fall onto it,"_ EDI warned.

"Why?" Martha asked.

" _What you see can best be described as a transformation object. During the war millions of years ago, the commander at the time found these on a remote planet. The inhabitants went insane and impaled others of their own kind on them. The technology transforms them, robbing them of all essential fluids and organic materials, replacing them with nanites and cybernetics, and create living nightmares from them,"_ EDI replied, her voice sounding as if those memories were too horrific to maintain.

"Is that what happened to your crew?" Martha asked.

" _No, my crew abandoned the_ Normandy _when we were attacked by a group of Reapers. The crew escaped and I was left abandoned and badly damaged. I was rescued by the Watchers: a synthetic/organic organism similar to the Reapers, only they don't feed on organic life to sustain them."_ EDI replied.

"I am sorry," Martha said.

" _It was not your fault, you were curious,"_ EDI replied back to her. Martha nodded as she looked at the objects with disdain now that she knows the story.

"I can't help but feel an ominous presence from them. It is as if there is an evil entity from it," Martha said to her.

"That is because it is emitting electromagnetic pulses that are so low in frequency that a normal person can't detect it," said a voice and Martha, startled, quickly turned to see a man standing there in a lab coat with a clipboard in hand.

"I'm sorry I was just..." Martha stuttered a bit nervous being around strangers.

"You were just looking at something that we had in the labs. You do know that you are crossing the line where the magnetic shielding is right?" he said, pointing to a solid curved line that separates the area.

Startled, Martha quickly moved away from the area, "Sorry," she said.

"No, no it is alright I was just worried that the shielding was down and that the energy waves were effecting you," he said.

"No, I was just having a PTSD moment," Martha said as she backed away from him.

"Well, just to warn you, that thing is emitting energy patterns that affect your brainwaves. We first found it about six years ago, and afterwards, many people started seeing things like they were there. It was then, when I installed the energy reader, that we discovered that this thing emits energy signatures that effect brain patterns. So I built this chamber to house it. The magnetic field I have around it keeps the signals at bay, so that no one else is affected by this thing," he said as he checked the readouts.

"Wow, I never knew that. All I know is that I saw those things on the _Normandy_ a while back, many of them," Martha replied.

"Are you one of the Normandy crew?" he asked, sounding curious, his dark brown hair and light gray eyes shown with curiosity at the mention of the _Normandy_.

"Have you been on it?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, to get patched up for some really wicked sunburn. I was here on the _Odyssey_ when the pirates took over. I am Dr. Malcolm, Jeffery Malcolm, I am in charge of the artifact analysis," he said offering his hand.

"Martha Kahalewai, pilot of the Normandy," Martha said with pride. She felt good saying it out loud, but she was proud of the fact that she is flying an alien vessel.

The man's eyes went wide at the statement and he stuttered when he now saw Martha in a new light, "You! I've heard of you!" he said, sounding excited as he stepped closer to her.

"Really?" Martha replied, surprised herself.

"Yes! You are the one who figured out the subliminal messages that the ship was sending. You also activated the ship, such a find is a revolutionary leap for science! How can I express my gratitude for the greatest discovery of all time?!" he said, giddy like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Why don't you start by coming onboard, yourself? I think Dr. Kimber is more than happy to give you a tour," Martha said, getting nervous.

"Oh! Right sorry," he said finally noticing Martha's uneasy behavior.

"Don't mind him, he tends to get over excited when new things happen," said a female voice.

Martha turned her head to find Hilary standing there, smiling. Martha smiled back as Hilary came over. "Jeffery, you should know better than to disturb my friend here" she lightly scolded.

"Sorry about that, Hilary, it s just that after the pirates, returning to my work has been a breath of fresh air to me," he said as he came closer to Martha but Hilary's glare sent him a few steps back.

"Martha, Dr. Alenkov sent me to find you, she said a storm is coming and wanted all crew members onboard for departure," she said, and Martha waved to Dr. Malcolm before departing.

As soon as they were out of the labs, Martha gave a big sigh of relief at the tension that was building in there. She was led outside by Hilary, towards the main stern of the ship where the _Normandy_ was stationed.

" _I am sorry if I could not contact you further, Martha, but Dr. Ballard insisted that she tell you about our departure time,"_ EDI said remorsefully.

"Hey, don't feel bad, at least she wanted to surprise me," Martha said.

" _As long as you are not walking the plank,"_ EDI replied, and that got even Hilary confused. Both women stared at the holographic form of Martha's omni-tool until EDI simply replied, _"That was a joke."_

"Not funny EDI, you need to work on your catch phrases better," Hilary said as they neared the aft of the ship.

"So, what is this about a storm?" Martha asked.

"We picked it up on our satellite readout. It is a category 4 typhoon heading in our direction. Dr. Alenkov and the other captains decided that now would be a good time to depart. The _Normandy_ is resupplied and ready to launch. The _Odyssey_ will head back to the mainland with needs for repair. The other ships will follow as an escort. They will make sure that no more pirates will attack the ship," Hilary said.

"Are you leaving us?" Martha said sad to see another friend go.

"And miss this, no way sister! My main science field may be marine biology, but I also minored in Astronomy and Astrophysics," Hilary said as they neared the ramp that would take them back onboard the _Normandy_. Already, people who were leaving were departing, and people who were staying were securing everything they had. Martha looked up at the massive form of the _Normandy;_ it stood there as the first winds begin to blow. She could feel it around her and she enjoyed it. But, as the ship started to rock more with the rising waves, Martha knew it was soon time to leave.

As she entered the ramp that would take her back onboard the _Normandy,_ she felt herself pass through a field.

" _Hold still, decontamination in progress,"_ EDI said as a light beam passed through them. It felt strange, as if taking a bath without the water.

" _Decontamination complete,"_ EDI said and then also welcomed them back onboard the Normandy. As they walked up, Martha noticed that many of the patients were gone, replaced instead by crates of goods from the _Odyssey_.

"Wow that was quick!" Martha said to Hilary.

"Well, we have been tracking the storm for a good few days, but it suddenly veered from its original path towards us. So, now they want everyone out who is not of the _Normandy_ crew.

As if to say more Dr. Alenkov's voice came over the intercom, _"Attention, all_ Normandy _personnel! We will be departing in one hour. All non-personnel must leave the ship immediately due to storm threat. All_ Normandy _crew members, report to your stations!"_

The voice was loud and clear, and as she said, so alarms began to blare from the _Odyssey_. Martha quickly walked towards the elevator to get a shower before heading over to her station. When she got to the control center, some new faces walked around the station, while some old ones remained. Hilary was, of course, at her station, as well as Lucas and Ichigo. However, where Jessica used to be, sat another man. He was not one Martha recognized at all.

"Um..." Martha said.

"Oh! Marty, meet Micheal Cameron, he will be filling Jessica's position, till they find a permanent communications officer," said Ichigo from his station at weapons control.

"Martha? So you're the one Enrique was talking about. He is down in engineering, helping Dr. Jackson out with the engine controls. Since I am a film maker, Dr. Alenkov thought it would be best to let me handle communications until our permanent officer comes onboard," he said, offering his hand. Martha gladly shook it, "Welcome aboard the Normandy," she said.

She was surprised a famous film maker could make his appearance to a simple pilot, but Martha let that slide, remembering how nothing about this was simple or normal. Getting into her seat, she felt the chair turn once again and move into position. Once adjusted to her height and body accommodation, the controls began to appear once again.

"Wow! I will never get used to this!" Micheal said, both Ichigo and Lucas laughed. Martha then turned towards the screen, a smile on her face.

"Alright folks, this is your pilot speaking. Are all cargo and crew accounted for?" Martha said over the intercom.

" _All cargo and crew are accounted for,"_ EDI replied. Martha nodded before going over the controls.

" _Ocean Odyssey,_ this is _Normandy,_ preparing for final departure, over," Martha said opening a link to the Ocean Odyssey.

" _This is the_ Ocean Odyssey, _the skies are clear for now and all ships are leaving the area. Wind speeds are around 13.03 knots north by north east and rising,"_ the person on the other end said.

"Roger that, _Ocean Odyssey_ , beginning engine warm up for disengagement and departure," Martha said as she started pushing some holographic buttons in the same sequence as when she first activated the ship. A rumble was heard as the ship started to activate.

" _Bridge, this is the cargo hold, ramp is up and ready for departure,"_ said a voice, and Martha looked at her holographic chart of the Normandy. The ramp was indeed up as Martha looked towards the ships.

"Odyssey _to_ Normandy, _what is your departure vector and destination?"_ was the question from the _Odyssey_.

Before Martha could reply, Dr. Alenkov gave them her answer: _"We will be launching for space in ten minutes,"_ Martha was surprised by this.

"Space?" Martha asked.

"The _Normandy_ has to refuel, and EDI has pointed out a planet where she can gather the materials she needs to refuel," said Lucas from his station. It was then that coordinates were relayed to her station from Dr. Alenkov's station in the Combat Information Control Center. Taking a deep breath, Martha then started the activation controls.

"Alright, coordinates are in, preparing for final departure," Martha said.

" _Good luck_ Normandy _,"_ was the reply from the _Odyssey_.

"Normandy, _this is Captain Chadwick of the_ U.S.S. Alaska. _Everyone in the American 5_ _th_ _fleet wish you well and God speed!"_ came the goodbye from the American fleet captain. Many different replies came from other fleet captains as they promised to bring the _Odyssey_ to port and away from the storm.

" _Captains, this is Elenna Alenkov of the_ Normandy _we thank you for your assistance and wish you well in returning the_ Odyssey _home,"_ she said, then the channel switched to a private one for the bridge.

" _Alright, Martha, prepare for departure,"_ she said before signing off.

Knowing it was time, Martha began to hit other buttons and knobs on the holographic interface. "Alright, vectors are in, initiating landing thrusters and breaking away from the _Odyssey_." Martha said

OUTSIDE THE SHIP

A rumble, like thunder, could be heard from outside the _Normandy_ as landing thrusters began to engage. People onboard the _Ocean Odyssey_ gathered to watch the _Normandy's_ departure. With the ramp now up and secure back in the main body of the ship, it began to rise away from their vessel. As it rose, it angled away from the ship before its main thrusters engaged, and it shot away from them and up towards the sky. As they shot up into the air, the other vessels could see it rapidly disappearing into the sky.

With the _Normandy_ gone the _Ocean Odyssey_ started its own newly-repaired engines and started to move towards the Vietnam mainland. The rapidly approaching storm did not look like it would be forgiving, so they wasted no time in leaving. The fleets following to escort them to shore remained with them as they, too, needed repairs. The pirates who had held the crew of the _Odyssey_ hostage were taken away to one of the naval vessels for safe keeping, since the _Odyssey_ had no brig to house them. But one person onboard was a bit disappointed he did not get to go. Dr. Malcolm watched as the ship's thrusters vanished in the more noticeable cloud cover, and he felt that he should head further inside for the time being.

 _NORMANDY_

Martha held on to the controls as the sky began to darken as they went higher and higher. Due to the low fuel, Martha had to convert non-critical systems into the ship's thrusters in order for it to finally leave the atmosphere. When the last of the blue gave way to the eternal blackness of space, the cheering started.

"Holy shit!" Ichigo said.

"You think?" Martha said as she moved around communication's satellites. The _Normandy's_ maneuverability made it ideal for interstellar travel.

"Dr. Alenkov, you have got to see this!" Lucas said, smiling in amazement. He was looking out of the windows into the blackness of space. The blackness of space was only paused by the light of the sun, shining above the Earth.

" _On my way,"_ was the reply

Dr. Alenkov walked up to the bridge a few minutes later, and saw for herself what they all had been looking forward to. The sight of space greeted her as Martha steered the ship away from the space junk. Turning slightly, she angled the ship out and away. And the sight that they saw for the first time shocked them all.

"Are we in space?" Dr. Alenkov asked them all even though the answer was obvious. She just needed confirmation. Martha nodded as she straightened them out. Impressed, she looked out the bridge window to see planet Earth just above them. It was an impressive sight. Just to emphasize, Martha turned the ship a bit to see the planet better at the same time avoiding another satellite.

"Damn, there is a lot of junk up here!" she said out loud.

"I have to agree," said Micheal.

The sight that greeted them was the massive storm that they just missed below them. Already they could see the lightning flashing across the clouds as it slowly turned away from them.

" _It appears my unscientific theories of the Earth being flat are false,"_ EDI said suddenly. All eyes on the bridge turned to the floating holographic ball. _"That was a joke."_

SOMEWHERE IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION

"So the ship has finally emerged?" said Alexandria Wilcox.

" _It has, and it is impressive! Such a colossal ship of such firepower is worth its weight in gold!"_ the voice on the other end said to her. He was a man dressed in a scientific uniform.

"What about Alenkov, I heard she is in charge of the ship," Alexandria replied as she sipped her wine. The beige mountains behind her and the arid countryside hid her hideout well. Keeping on the move had paid off for Alexandria. She was good at her job and disappearing was her specialty. Her now-tanned skin and dark hair made her blend in well with the locals. Plus speaking the language was a bonus to her.

" _Yes she is, but she is not the one who pilots it! I just got a glimpse of her myself, but she is a remarkable specimen,"_ said the man on the screen.

This raised and eyebrow, "She?" now that was interesting.

" _Yes, a young woman, Martha, her name was. She is the talk of the whole_ Odyssey _. They said that she herself shot down the main battery laser that the ship has in its arsenal. However, getting access to see the video footage myself has proven to be nearly impossible. There is something else on that ship, an artificial intelligence, that has blocked all attempts to hack into its systems. Its programming is unlike anything I have seen before,"_ said the man on the screen.

On another screen, Alexandria pulled up files of everyone that was onboard the Normandy when it was still at the bottom of the ocean. The one name that did appear made her smirk. She knew that face all too well, her last victim. _So she is alive... interesting_.

"What else have you heard about this, 'Martha?" she asked.

" _The only thing I know, other than her being the pilot, is that she was the one who woke up the ship. Figured out the riddle that the ship was trying to implant into everyone else. And just like that, turned on the ship. Alenkov even credited the girl herself,"_ the man said.

"Do you have any evidence to prove this?" Alexandria replied as she started getting a hold of her contacts.

" _Whatever I got is in Alenkov's reports that she sends to everyone in the science departments,"_ the man replied.

"Good, then send me a copy of the files," Alexandria replied and, just like that, an email popped up with the package containing the reports of all the scientists. After checking them for any sort of spyware, she looked through them on a third monitor. Going through them, she was interested in the reports of the EOC and Martha's death. It was strange that the woman suddenly healed and came back from the dead. But if she could weaponize this, then she might have a chance.

"I will get in contact with you when I have more information, but for now, Dr. Malcolm, I suggest you keep a low profile. Alenkov has probably got agents all around, hunting my people down, understood?" she said, and the man saluted before the call was terminated.

As she leaned back, the room she was in suddenly went dark as the arid landscape disappeared, and Alexandria found herself in a darkened room. Taking off her wig and peeling off the fake skin, she stood in her business dress. Turning her chair, she began to type on a screen with a virtual keyboard, a series of commands. When she was done, a picture appeared in front of her. A license appeared with Martha's face on it. Then she started looking into any official reports from school to family. The woman was indeed interested. She also looked into the files of other crew members that were on the _Normandy_. Smirking to herself, she turned towards the first screen.

"You just piqued my interest once again, Ms. Kahalewai. Now let's see just who you really are," she said as she smirked as the image changed to one featuring Dr. Alenkov. It also showed her family and friends.

"You may have won this round, Elenna, but the game has just begun," Alexandria replied as she typed a series of commands. When it was done, a series of faces appeared.

"It's me, I have orders. I am sending you faces of your next targets. I want you to keep an eye on them and report to me of any activities that might be of interest, understood?" she said and the affirmatives were her reply.

"Good," with that, she hung up, leaving herself in a state where she knew that the game was only getting interesting. Now all she had to do was wait and see what she could dig up... and when she could strike.

TBC

 **A/n: Ok, first off I am sorry if this came out cheap the first time but to me it felt like it did. This is what happens when you paid more attention to children's scifi movies then what is supposed to happen. Thank God for Charlies Angels, Firefly and the movie Serenity to help with getting a more interesting feel for this chapter. So now our characters are getting ready for their first space exploration. Already they are in space for the first time now is their next challenge.**

 **As you already notice I am extending this story quite a bit instead of the normal twenty chapters that it originally had. The reason being is that this story will eventually be longer then its predecessor with more substance and more building then what it had. This time I am building more on the timeline and adding that danger factor that Mass Effect is known for.**

 **So what do you guys think? Please leave a review and remember no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS OR FLAMES PLEASE!**


	21. Landing on the Moon

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!**

 **A/n: Ok I have to be honest this rewrite is going to be a hell of a lot longer then the original story is going to be. At least ten to fifteen chapters more then the original story. Man, I never thought I had so much missing from the story when I started until I actually reread the story! Well I thank each and every person who liked and followed this story so far you guys are awesome. I would also like to thank my beta for helping me out and keep me on track as far as stories go. And now that the holiday season is over and everything back to normal I can hopefully get some things done. So anyhow I will no longer ramble and get on with the next chapter of...**

 **Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 15: Landing on the Moon**

NORMANDY

Planet Earth shone with a blue radiance that can't be described in books or on television. To see it in person from the bridge of an ancient alien space ship was a marvel.

"Beautiful," said Micheal as he pulled out his phone and the camera floating beside him. He began to take pictures and film the experience. Both Lucas and Ichigo had their mouths to the ground with awe at the sight of their planet above their heads.

" _By God it's beautiful!"_ someone said on the intercom. Everyone shared the same feeling as they watched the Earth slowly rotate below them. The typhoon that they got away from was just sailing below them slowly. Martha could see the large eye of the storm below, the clouds surrounding it just slowly rotating counter-clockwise in the vast ocean below. She slowly got out of the seat and stepped closer to the windows to get a better look.

When she looked outside she could see how large the planet was compared to her. Her hand was on the window pane as the blue light reflected off her face. She only wished Aaron could see it like this. Soon others began to join them from the C.I.C. as they walked towards the windows of the bridge. Martha knew she had to take a seat just to let others see.

Angling the ship to get a better view, everyone pointed out the storm and the landmass below them. Just to not to hurt the view, Martha moved the ship away from the satellites that started floating their way. Looking the other way, Martha could make out the moon just a distance away.

"EDI, how long does it take for us to get to the moon from here?" Martha had to ask the A.I.

" _It takes about two minutes to get to the moon,"_ EDI replied.

"Two _fucken'_ minutes!" said Lucas shocked.

"There is no way unless...wait didn't you say that this ship can go faster than the speed of light?" asked Ichigo.

"This ship can go faster than the speed of light!?" Micheal had to reply. His curiosity was peaked.

" _That is correct: the Normandy has the ability to travel faster than the speed of light, or, as you would call it FTL. Other concepts for it in media would be hyperspace or warp speed,"_ EDI said with a smug tone to her voice.

"Wha?" Micheal said.

"EDI stop teasing him!" Martha said laughing. The others on the bridge laughed along with her, and then Micheal caught on to being had by a computer. Then he started to chuckle with being the victim of a prank.

"You know what, I really like you EDI," he said.

" _You are going to go places, Micheal Cameron, if not on your planet, then maybe others,"_ was the reply.

" _Alright everyone listen up!"_ came the voice of Dr. Alenkov. Everyone stopped laughing and sat straighter in their seats or sat themselves down but a little straighter.

" _So right now, the Normandy is low on fuel. Martha has managed to get us to outer space in one piece – thank you, ma'am – but we are in need of some essential supplies. Namely, the aforementioned fuel. Now, according to the information EDI has provided us, the Normandy uses two types of fuel. The first usually extracts and replenishes itself if it had sufficient amounts which it no longer has. The element Zero on the fusion reactor is nearly depleted. It is enough to give us a single round trip, but no more. The other is to power the sublight engines which also runs on fusion, but this fusion is helium fusion. This is what powers the engines that gets us moving. So our first order of business is to find the nearest planet that can supply one or both our needs. In our solar system the first planet is Saturn. According to Normandy's charts it has a sufficient amount of Helium needed to refuel the ship. The other is going to be trickier to obtain,"_ Dr. Alenkov said over the speakers.

They could hear her taking deep breaths as if to calm her nerves, _"All of you have sacrificed so much to be here. Most of you wanted to take the opportunity to study extraterrestrial life and others were forced from their homes because of a simple hiccup in their genes. Now you are here together onboard the greatest discovery known to man. This is the first time we are taking the opportunity to explore the world- no, the_ universe, _today,"_ with that there was a sound of applause from the many folks onboard the ship.

Martha could feel pride welling up inside her, getting to be part of this. It was not what she had dreamed of, but to explore the stars was something most people would die for. As if to emphasize this, she looked at her hands and the faint remnants of the many scars on them. These were the marks of her death that would never go away. They'd faded to hardly anything on her skin, but she could still feel them.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned towards EDI, "Ok, EDI, I know this will sound stupid, but how do I activate the FTL drive?" she asked the floating orb.

" _Type in the coordinates to the navigation computer. Then it will project a course and that button right there to the right side of the screen will launch you to FTL,"_ EDI replied.

"Wow, so no steering nothing, it is all in auto-pilot?" Martha said.

" _That is correct,"_ EDI replied.

"Wow, ok, so how do I get the coordinates?" asked Martha a bit confused.

" _You will receive them when Dr. Alenkov puts in the destination on the holographic map in front of her. Once she selects the destination a set of coordinates will appear and you will be able to plot the course,"_ EDI replied.

"Ok, cool," Martha said to the computer.

Just as she said it, a set of coordinates appeared, EDI having told Dr. Alenkov how to use the holographic navigational map. As soon as she saw it, there were the coordinates to Saturn.

"She wastes no time does she?" said Lucas from beside her. Martha turned to look at him and saw that he, too, had the coordinates.

"Yeah, I guess being the copilot you get them too," Martha said.

"Yeah but I don't have access to the hyperdrive. So! Let's see what this bitch can do!" Lucas said with excitement.

"Ok, here goes nothing," Martha said and typed in the coordinates with the holographic keyboard below her. As soon as she had done that, the button to her right lit up. Her hand paused just over the button.

"Well, here goes nothing, to space and beyond!" she said and hit the button.

As soon as she did, the stars seemed to pull before she felt the ship lurch a bit as they entered FTL. The swirling lights began to dance around them as they entered.

" _We will be approaching Saturn in thirty five minutes and seventeen seconds,"_ EDI said.

"Holy shit, it would take a normal ship around six years to get to Saturn," said Micheal.

"Well, you are on the first ever interstellar ship mankind has seen, and we can reach the end of the solar system in less than an hour," Martha replied to the filmmaker. The man was both stunned and surprised.

Then the intercom came on, _"Look at it this way,_ _ **amigo;**_ _we are onboard that space ship you so admired on the television,"_ Came Enrique's voice. Micheal shook his head at his friend's antics.

Martha listened with interest as the friends bantered on the comms before switching to something else. Since she only slightly watched the monitor, she decided that she needed a break and wanted to use the restroom. Getting out of her chair, she made her way into the C.I.C.

"Well done, Martha," said Dr. Alenkov from on her platform overlooking the entire room. In front of her floated a holographic image of the solar system.

"What is that?" Martha asked.

"From what EDI told me, it is called a galaxy map. It allows me to see where I am going throughout the galaxy, and look," with this, the image changed to an entire galaxy. Then to another one, "This is Andromeda, EDI says she has never been there, but her creators allowed her to see the galaxy as a whole. And we could get there in less time than what it would normally take if we went any other route," she said with excitement. Then, her thoughts turned to alarm, when she finally realized that Martha was out of her seat.

"Martha, what are you doing here instead of at the helm?" she asked.

"Normandy does not need me to steer the ship. It goes automatically to autopilot when it jumps to FTL. So that allows me to go to the bathroom. I've been wanting to go for a while now," she said.

"Oh, my apologies, see me when you are out," she said and Martha left to do what she wanted.

She returned a few minutes later, with a bar of chocolate in hand – she was more than happy to finally eat something sweet. When she sat back down at her station, the monitor only showed about half an hour had passed since they started. From the timer, it would take another ten minutes until they reached Saturn.

"Alright folks, this is your pilot speaking, we have about ten minutes till we reach the planet Saturn. All personnel please report to your stations and prepare to leave hyperspace, thank you for flying on the _Normandy_ ," Martha joked as she followed EDI's instructions for preparing to shut down the FTL drive.

She carefully looked at the monitors and the fuel lines. Everything seemed to be in place. As she waited, the time seemed to go slowly as she made final preparations.

" _Remember, just push the button exactly when the alarm starts,"_ EDI instructed.

Right on cue, the alarm went off, and Martha quickly hit the button. The stars retracted to their normal positions, and right in front of them was the planet Saturn. The many rings and moons around Saturn hung in suspension in the void of space.

"Alright, we are approaching the planet now, Dr. Alenkov," Martha said.

" _Mr. Bridger, there is a series of controls right beside you. Those monitor the probes that are going to be needed to process the helium into fuel,"_ EDI said to Lucas, who began to look over the controls again.

"Ok, I got it," he said as he began to push a series of buttons.

" _Mr. Cameron, your job is to monitor frequencies that are coming from the probes. They will let you know when their load is full and ready to return to the ship,"_ EDI said to Micheal who also took his spot again.

"What am I going to do?" asked Ichigo.

" _You will be the one to launch the probes. Your job will be to find a spot with a high concentration of Helium and shoot the probe directly into the spot. Then, while it goes in monitor the probe's position,"_ EDI instructed him.

"Ok, I got it," Ichigo said as he readied controls.

"Alright folks, we are heading directly towards the planet, hold on to something," Martha said as she steered the ship towards the planet.

"Ok, EDI do I go directly into the planet or that is a stupid question?" Martha asked.

" _No, it is not a stupid question. You need to remain in orbit around the planet. That way Mr. Satoshi can scan the planet for any targets for the probes. Once he launches them, all he has to do is make sure they are in orbit. Mr. Bridger will be the one to do the actual extracting of the gas into the processors. His job is to process the gas into fuel. Once the probe is full a signal will be sent to Mr. Cameron's station. He can then relay it to you for pickup,"_ EDI instructed.

"Cool," said Martha as she neared the planet.

COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER

Dr. Alenkov watched as the planet came larger and larger in their views. She could hear the communications between the bridge team members as they prepared to launch the probes that would extract and refuel _Normandy's_ auxiliary drives.

" _Probes are ready and set for launch,"_ she could hear Ichigo say over the intercom.

"Probe has found a target, ma'am, and is ready to launch," said one of the other scientists that is onboard. She looked at the man and smiled. He was in the station that Dr. Caradine was in. The man left with a few other scientists to return to the mainland, leaving her with most of her crew, plus a few replacements from both the naval crews and the _Odyssey_.

"Alright, Ichigo, when you have a lock on a target, launch the probe," she said and it was revised with a 'Yes, Ma'am!' on the other end.

" _Target is locked, firing probe,"_ his voice said and soon enough, she watched the holographic map show the probe being launch into space towards the planet below. They waited precious seconds before her monitors lit up with a direct hit.

"Direct hit with the probe, extracting Helium gas now, Dr. Alenkov," said Hilary as she examined the readings.

"Good, keep me informed," she said as she watched probe after probe land at different parts of the planet. All sorts of readouts began to appear as the fuel was being processed. It took about three hours, but then she saw the _Normandy_ begin to angle towards the planet. Time for extraction, it seemed.

From what she had read, the probes extract the elements they're programmed to get from any sort of planet or moon. Then, when they're ready, they send a signal to the ship for pick-up. When they are in range, an automatic beacon activates, allowing them to immediately realign with the ship and return to their ports. There, _Normandy_ can extract the minerals it needs to refuel.

" _Probe one has returned, beginning fuel extraction,"_ said EDI as the fuel ports beside her began to fill. The tanks lit up one by one as fuel was being pumped back into _Normandy's_ supply. Once all thirty probes returned, she looked at the station where the orb was at.

"Alright, EDI, now that we have refueled the auxiliary tanks, how long do we have till we have to refuel again?" she asked.

" _Never,"_ was the reply, _"Because of the damage to the fusion reactor and the fuel tanks on the ship, replicating the fuel I need to fly was close to impossible without risking severe damage or outright destruction of the ship. The element zero core was also damaged and the element needs to be replaced as well,"_ EDI said to her.

"So, smarty pants, how do we find an alternate fuel source? According to the records on your files, there is no such source of element zero," Dr. Alenkov argued.

"Excuse me, Doctor, but those charts are millions of years old. Perhaps if we sent the same probes to scour our solar system, maybe we can find alternate sources, or more updated sources of element zero," Dr. Jenkins commented from his station.

"Perhaps, does this seem acceptable to you EDI?" she asked the A.I.

" _The probes that were sent out millions of your years ago do constant updates. I have not been able to access them for some time. Allow me to do so now,"_ EDI said to her.

"Permission granted," Dr. Alenkov replied.

EDI vanished for a few minutes, before reappearing again, " _I have analyzed the search results. What we found was staggering, and you have proven your hypothesis. There is a small amount of Element Zero on the planet you call Mars. On this map, there seems to be an abandoned outpost stationed near the planet's south pole. Perhaps an alien species other than my own creators has visited your world. Because the planet that I am familiar with is gone,"_ EDI replied.

"Martha set a course for Mars. We have aliens to show off," Dr. Alenkov replied.

" _Roger. Inputting coordinates now and preparing for the jump to FTL,"_ said Martha and she could feel the brief sense of vertigo as the ship vanished into hyperspace once again. As she looked at the timer.

"Martha, how long till we get to Mars?" Alenkov asked her pilot.

" _ETA about thirty minutes,"_ Martha replied.

"Good, keep me posted of our arrival and the location of the base," she said before sighing. It was exciting to see the ship slowly becoming more and more alive every second. But things like fuel and supplies, even repairs, are a thing that not even she could have dreamed of doing again. The last time she had a command was back with KGB. Now...

"Dr. Alenkov?" said a voice, and the woman turned towards the person to the right of the platform. She was one of the people who had come onboard to replace the crew members who had left. A woman from the Philippines, if she recalled.

"What can I do for you, Ms…?" she asked.

"Maria, Maria Cruz Ma'am. I am with the Filipino Naval Forces, currently assigned to the Normandy," she said. Her accent was strong, but her English was very good, meaning she either was taking courses in English, worked as a translator or is the daughter of an English speaking parent.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Cruz?" she asked.

"I don't want to sound rude ma'am, but I am not familiar with these controls or this computer. When my captain assigned me to this ship, he never mentioned floating keyboards and strange symbols," she said pointing to the keyboard interface.

Dr. Alenkov walked down and looked at the keyboard. There were indeed strange symbols... that is, until the symbols changed to more familiar writings to her.

"The computer is translating them to your native language. It is programmed to show you names of different keys or controls in your native tongue. So, if English is your first language, it would be in English. But from the keys, it seems that your first language is Tagalog. So the computer interprets it that way," Dr. Alenkov said.

The woman snapped her head back to the keyboard, eyes going wide and a blush spreading on her cheeks. "Well, don't I feel silly now...?" she asked no one in particular, then chuckled. "Thank you, I think I understand them now," she said and got back to work. Dr. Alenkov looked at her with suspicion as she walked away to return to the elevator. When the doors closed she gave the order:

"EDI, run a check on all new personnel. I want them to be trustworthy. Especially those that came from the military ships." she said.

" _Understood,"_ was the reply.

DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE

The doors opened and Dr. Alenkov stepped into her office; it was as empty, just how it should be. The pictures she had in the sleeping area allowed her to feel more at home than she did in her home country. Images of her children and her husband littered the walls on one side, along with her familiar bookshelf and her things to help her remember things by.

She figured that she had some time before they made it to Mars. So, she decided that now was the best time to sit down and eat something in the privacy of her quarters. As she booted up her computer and read through the reports, things were looking up. Despite the scoldings she would no doubt get from the science community. As she sat down, she went over the various reports while looking outside at the flickering lights and passing stars before them. Such things she could have only imagined, had she still been at the bottom of the ocean.

As she was going over the reports, a light flared, indicating that the time to Mars was nearly up. Getting up from her chair, Alenkov made her way out towards the C.I.C. once more, when she entered everyone was busy at their stations, going over various readings on the ship.

"Status report!" she called out as she took her place once more on the platform.

"We should be getting out of FTL in five minutes Dr. Alenkov," said one person towards the side.

"Good, How are the engines holding up?" she asked another person. This person was seated near one of the holographic stations to the right.

"All systems are green, despite the low fuel," said another person, this one from the original crew.

"Where is the source of Element Zero?" she asked a third person.

"According to EDI's scans, the element is only a trace amount found near the southern pole on Mars," said the third person.

She glanced down at the countdown till they would emerge from FTL, the holographic map showing the solar system and Mars in general highlighted in front of her. A flashing light indicated where the probes had found the source of element zero. When she heard Martha give the thirty second warning, everyone was ready for the return to normal space.

When it happened, the planet Mars came into view. It glowed an eerie bright red on the hologram in front of her. The rest of the room glowed red as the ship approached. And the planet became more luminous as it became larger. The red light of it even shone from the view ports of the bridge. Dr. Alenkov found herself startled to see it for the first time in person instead of through photographs or satellite imagery.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Dr. Alenkov, the signal is coming from the southern pole," said Maria.

"Good. Martha, steer us towards the southern pole, I want probes ready to launch and scanning the surface for any signs of the origin of the Element Zero readings," Dr. Alenkov said to Martha.

" _Understood,"_ was the response.

She could see the highlights of the probes as they launched to different parts of the southern pole. The _Normandy_ steered closer and closer towards the indicated light on the console. As she saw it for herself, it was EDI who made the final observation.

 _"Dr. Alenkov, it appears as if the signal is coming from this area of the southern pole of the planet,"_ EDI said as she enhanced the image.

"Can, the _Normandy_ land on the planet, or do we have to take one of the smaller craft?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

" _The_ Normandy _should be able to land on Mars. The most suitable landing spot is here, about half a kilometer from the site,"_ EDI replied as she showed the area, currently in the middle of a storm.

"Pass the coordinates to Martha." she said to the A.I. EDI then disappeared to carry out the task. Then the ship turned downwards, but thanks to the artificial gravity on the ship, Alenkov did not feel a thing. The ship went downwards towards the planet and, thanks to the storm, all they saw at first was nothing. When they came out of it, they saw a canyon, and the computer highlighted where the signal was coming from.

" _I am detecting a signal from a computer inside the canyon. They seem to be landing coordinates,"_ EDI said to Alenkov.

"Follow it, and if there is an area where the _Normandy_ can land, take her down," she said, giving the order.

BRIDGE

"Have you ever landed a ship through atmosphere before?" asked Lucas.

"No, but this is good practice as any," replied Martha, looking at the planet below them, too focused to scold or even notice Lucas's stupid question. The planet's surface neared as she angled the ship towards the area that Dr. Alenkov wanted. Thankfully, there was hardly any atmosphere to go through, so there was hardly any turbulence. But the storm that hit was the worst that Martha flew through... and the first.

Thankfully, the _Normandy's_ thrusters and mass effect field proved powerful enough to remain stable throughout the storm. When they cleared it, the canyon came into view. Using her information, she managed to see the landing zone.

"Dr. Alenkov there is an indentation down below. It looks like some sort of doorway big enough for the Normandy to land in," Martha said to her radio.

" _Can EDI open it?"_ Dr. Alenkov replied.

" _Stand by"_ EDI replied.

Martha slowed down the descent, eventually hovering near the door.

"EDI?" Martha asked.

" _It appears as if the rock that built around it has blocked the doorway from opening. It would not be possible to land the_ Normandy _inside unless it was cleared from an outside force,"_ EDI replied.

"So, what, Thanix or Guardians?" Martha asked the two beside her.

"I'd say torpedoes would be best," said Ichigo.

"Ok," Martha replied.

"Yeah, shall we?" said Lucas.

"Are you sure torpedoes is wise? Are you sure they won't just collapse the doorway?" asked Micheal from his station. His uncertainty was shown on his face.

"Considering how their yield can be adjusted pre-launch, yeah," Lucas said.

"Alright, switching to torpedoes," Martha said, and Lucas fired on the rock wall blocking the door. As the rubble cleared away, they could see a wall. A solid wall and a flashing light. When the _Normandy_ got closer, a sound could be heard that sounded like something speaking.

"EDI, what does that thing say?" Martha asked the A.I.

" _Translating. It is an alien dialect I have not heard before. I have managed to get into the main computer systems. The V.I. program senses that I am not a threat and is allowing me access to the files I needed to translate,"_ EDI replied to Martha.

As soon as she said it the doors opened allowing them access and the _Normandy_ slowly entered the derelict area. Inside were other ships of similar size all lined up and looking old. When Martha landed the ship large links came to hook up to the _Normandy_. As soon as Martha placed the landing gear and the ship settled on the ground. A hiss was heard.

" _The Alien V.I. says that we are welcomed at their base. They have waited for fifty thousand earth years to see someone who has not been corrupted finally land at their base,"_ EDI said to them.

Surprised, the group waited for Dr. Alenkov to give the ok. From the looks of it, she was busy talking to someone on her earpiece. Soon, she spoke up: _"Alright, listen up! This is the first time that we have set foot on an alien outpost, so I will have the security teams go first. The airlock next to the bridge would be the main exit point from which people can exit into the space station! EDI, what's the atmosphere inside?"_

" _The station's atmosphere is standard oxygen and nitrogen, though currently, life support systems are offline. I am communicating with the station's VI, and it seems some power systems are damaged. If they are repaired, life support will have power. Until then, EVA suits are necessary."_

" _Thank you, EDI,"_ Alenkov said with a satisfied nod.

 _"You are welcome, Dr. Alenkov"_ the A.I. replied.

Martha looked around and saw several people going through and checking gear, most notably the security team that would go first. Both Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds were onboard with a group of about twenty people, not all of them security.

Martha watched as they exited the station, and she could see it through her viewport in the cockpit. The team had to wait a bit in the side door before exiting to give the ship time to adjust to outside pressure and atmosphere. When they exited, they were exploring the area and the bridge could hear the comm chatter.

" **Holy shit, look at the size of this place!"** said one man.

" **God damn, look at the size of those muther fucken ships!"** said another.

" **Alright boys, keep it tight. We have to find the source of the Element Zero and report back to the** _ **Normandy**_ **,"** the voice belonging to Major Lawoski said as the chatter quickly turned to ordinary military chatter.

Martha tuned most of it out, instead focusing on paying attention to the helmet cameras. EDI explained to her the helmet cams and what their purpose was for deployment. It was interesting to see it in the flesh; an entire alien outpost.

" **Hey, someone get Arnold Schwarzenegger on the phone and ask him where is the device that gives Mars an actual atmosphere!"** said another soldier and Martha rolled her eyes at that comment.

The silence behind Martha was all that she could see as they watched the group exploring. As they did so, the sounds of winds picking up outside showed that another storm was coming. As if to emphasize this, the doors closed behind them and the sound of the winds could no longer be heard. _Normandy_ was locked inside the bunker while the doors behind them shut.

That made Martha nervous, until she felt her head start to pound. It was a sore feeling, like a vice slowly squeezing her. She began to breathe hard from it.

"Are you OK, Mart?" asked Lucas noticing her.

"I...I don't feel so good," she said.

"You should report to the medical wing, we got you covered till you come back," said Lucas.

"Ok," said Martha as she slowly stood up to walk out. As she was walking out something started to swim in her head. It was voices, many voices, voices she don't recognize at all and worse...the screams, oh the screams.

She barely made it past Dr. Alenkov who gave her a worried look as she slowly got to the elevator. When the doors closed, she could hear the sounds in her head, a horrific sound unlike anything she heard before... except in her dreams.

OUTSIDE THE _NORMANDY_

"Holy Mary Mother of God!" breathed one man as he looked at the size of the ships that shared the hangar with the docked _Normandy_. The outpost was as huge as it was silent. The group consisted of something more than just soldiers. Of them all, Dr. Kimber agreed to go with them as one of the scientists who understood alien technology.

"This place is huge!" she said to them as she looked at all the other ships inside the hanger with the _Normandy_. Turning towards their own ship, it looked beautiful and sleek, unlike these which looked more clunky and symmetrical.

Taking this as their cue they walked further.

"The signal is that way," said Kimber as she led the way for the soldiers to follow.

The deeper into the bowels they went, the darker the area. No longer do the light from the sun or the _Normandy_ filter through.

"Either this place doesn't have power, or nobody's been around to switch the light bulbs," someone commented, getting chuckles from a few others.

As they came closer to some of the doors, similar locks to those of the _Normandy_ were seen. However the _Normandy's_ locks were a lot more sophisticated where as these were simple. Upon a wave of an omni-tool, they opened the door allowing them entrance into the area.

"No signs of life...it is as if this place was long abandoned," said Dr. Kimber.

"Spread out! And secure the area!" said Major Lawoski.

Five or six of the twelve people spread out to watch out for any sort of dangers that might await them inside. Slowly, they walked through the dark alleyways of the hidden area, not knowing what lies beyond those dark doors. But Dr. Kimber held out her arm, and her omni-tool led the way deeper into the alien structure. Their footsteps echoed across the hallway as they slowly walked deeper.

"OK, the signal seems to be coming from this way," Dr. Kimber said, leading them through several doors into another corridor. This one looked like something out of a horror movie. It was dark and foreboding, seemingly forbidden. But the group pressed on, hoping to find something in the end.

MEANWHILE

The doors to the medical wing opened, and Martha stepped through. She held her left hand to her temple as if trying to shut something out. Others noticed as she walked into the medical ward and towards one of the beds.

"Is everything alright Martha?" asked Dr. Amari when he noticed Martha struggling to hold herself up.

"I don't know, I feel as if something is calling to me," Martha replied.

"Here, come sit down while I run some tests," he said as Martha laid back on one of the hospital bed.

"EDI, did you leave one of your functions up too high again?" Dr. Amari asked.

" _No, I did not, I believe the discomfort might have something to do with the memory dump that happened not too long ago. Martha seems to be recalling snippets of video taken from when the Reapers attacked my creators."_ EDI replied.

"Snippets of video?" Dr. Amari said as he ran a scan on Martha's head.

" _Yes, it would appear as if Martha had accidentally gotten some of the video and file feeds from my memory core. The exchange was not supposed to happen. It somehow embedded itself into her brain. That is probably the reason why she has taken to the Normandy's controls with ease,"_ EDI replied.

"Well, if that is the case I would have to look at her brainwave patterns to see if there is some changes that are happening," said Dr. Amari.

" _Is there any way I could assist you in that matter Dr. Amari? The equipment that you normally use to scan patients with has a feature to measure brainwave patterns,"_ EDI replied to the doctor.

"Really? I have never thought of it that way. So what else does it do?" Dr. Amari asked.

" _The data collected from the scans will upload to your omni-tool,"_ EDI replied and Dr. Amari activated the scans like how he would normally do on a patient. As he scanned Martha's form, the holographic image of her brain came into light reflecting on his omni-tool. What he found was astonishing. Martha's brainwaves were through the charts with a lot more activity than normal.

He then pulled up another hologram of Martha's normal brainwave pattern and it confirmed that the activity had ramped up since they entered the alien outpost.

"Do you think something here is triggering the outbursts, EDI?" asked Dr. Amari.

" _I do not know Dr. Amari. However, we should notify Dr. Alenkov of our findings,"_ said EDI with a hint of concern.

"I know, I will file the report immediately. In the mean time, I should give Martha a sedative to help with the headache. That way, her brain can sort out the images that are suddenly making themselves known to her conscious thoughts," Dr. Amari replied.

" _The human mind is intriguing to explore. It seems that when I scanned your brains and compared them to my creators, the human mind moves at a much faster rate than theirs. However, processing complex thoughts and communications is much slower,"_ EDI said to the doctor.

"Do you even have a medical file of your creators?" Dr. Amari asked.

"Yes. In fact, the files are here," EDI replied showing him a series of files. Dr. Amari looked at them, fascinated but then the moaning from Martha had turned his attention. He quickly shut off the hologram from his omni-tool and rushed to her side. As he looked the brainwave patterns have increased.

"Oh shit!" he said.

" _I am detecting an outside signal from within the facility,"_ EDI said with alarm.

"Is it dangerous?" asked Dr. Amari.

" _Unknown, however it would seem that the search party is heading directly towards the signal. I would exhort caution,"_ EDI replied.

"Send word to the search team and notify Dr. Alenkov immediately. I will try to find a way to isolate the signal so it doesn't cause Martha harm," Dr. Amari replied.

" _Understood,"_

MEANWHILE

"Now that is something," said Dr. Kimber as they stared at the massive item in front of them. It was a large cylinder shaped item. Its shape was like that of a typical fuel drum. But what was dripping from it was glowing blue. The common sign of element zero.

"Radiation is through the roof Doc. Are you sure this is safe?" asked Major Lawoski as he looked at it through his suit.

"No. We need to set the drone to extract it or else we could be killed by it," said Dr. Kimber as she lowered a device to the ground.

"Where the fuck did you get that?" asked Major Reynolds.

"I got it from the engineering section. Dr. Jackson gave it to me to help with extracting the element zero from this place without touching it. But there is more further in. I think this place is run by a reactor," she said with her omni-tool out. She looked at where they had been so far.

" _I managed to find you a terminal that should link with your omni-tool. I had put safety protocols in it to prevent the station from considering you hostile,"_ said EDI as she indicated with a light where the terminal was. The group made their way further inside to find a terminal. Dr. Kimber quickly found it and linked her omni-tool to it and instantly data began to pour out from it.

"It is going to take me a while to translate this, but EDI, is there a way to decipher the language?" Dr. Kimber asked the A.I.

" _It will take some time but...I am detecting a signal from further inside. Two in fact. One is coming from deeper in the facility. The readings indicate a reactor might be leaking. The other is unknown,"_ said EDI.

"Can you find out more?" asked Dr. Kimber.

" _I will try to figure it out Dr. Kimber. Until then, I recommend caution,"_ EDI warned. Nodding her thanks, the group wondered further into the facility. As they walked in, they looked at all the technology that was so alien to them. Many of them appeared offline, but as they walked further in, things started to light up around them.

"I think I has something to do with these," said Major Reynolds as he presented his left arm over one of the terminals.

"I think so too, I think the omni-tools can link with the tech," said Dr. Kimber. She started to apply her omni-tool to some of the terminals and things started to appear, including an image of Earth.

"Holy shit, Doc, I feel as if I was watching one of them old horror flicks," said one of the soldiers. His breathing was rapid, but he remained ready with his gun just in case. Dr. Kimber explored more of the ruin. There was nothing here but emptiness, as if the owners left in a hurry.

"Hey Doc, can you access the files. EDI said that the computer was trying to identify us as friend or foe," Major Lawoski said.

"I am working on it," Dr, Kimber replied going through the holographic interface, "So far things are not going so well and EDI has only partially translated the language." she said to them.

"Well, this place gives me the creeps and it feels like we could be shooting things at any moment," said Major Lawoski.

"Just give me a sec will ya," Dr. Kimber grumbled as she tried to access the system through her omni-tool. Words were flying across the screen from bottom to top at a rapid rate. Still, she kept her vigil as characters were moving across the screen suddenly change to English. Then, as if to help, the system suddenly started translating for them. It was as if it picked up their linguistic characteristics.

Then suddenly it came to life, _"Please stay still as we scan for identification,"_ it said. A beam of light suddenly came over the group. When it was done the light went green, _"No signs of indoctrination detected. New species identification confirmed. Welcome,"_ as it said this lights began to come online throughout the facility. The group looked around in awe as one by one the lights began to appear. When it was lit that was when Major Lawoski made the call.

"Team one to _Normandy_ , we have confirmation of activation of the station," he said.

" _Be cautious Team One, EDI has confirmed that alien systems has come online,"_ was the reply from Micheal onboard the _Normandy_.

"Alright, system is online, what do we have here," said Dr. Kimber as she started to work into the system using the omni-tool as a translator. It downloaded the language that the system uses and started to translate the use of the station.

"According to this, this station was a research outpost. The aliens that were inhabiting this place was researching life on our planet...including our ancestors," said Dr. Kimber with eyes growing wide.

"Can you find the other source or more sources of element zero?" asked Major Reynolds.

"I can, hold up," she said and started to go through the holographic systems. It was when they got to the power source that was when she pointed in a random direction.

"It is this way," she said and started walking in a direction that was provided by the system.

 _NORMANDY_

Martha slowly opened her eyes the bright lights of the medical bay filled her with dread as she slowly looked around.

"Are you alright my dear?" asked Dr. Shenoy as he looked at her and shined a brighter light at her. Feeling a headache coming on she was unable to respond verbally. As if sensing her discomfort Dr. Shenoy passed a cup to her and some pills. Martha gladly took them when he helped her up. She could feel the pain subside as the pills began to kick in. Her eyes however remained sensitive to the light. And once again as if sensing it a pair of dark shades was passed over her eyes.

"What happened?" was all she asked.

"You had a bit of a spell my friend. You brainwaves went off the charts. Do you remember what happened?" he asked.

"All I remember was walking through the city again….sorry I forgot you don't know about it yet," she said.

"About what? Your Visions? EDI filled me in while you were unconscious. So I know all about it. But my concern is the frequency of it. That is what concerns me," he said as he probed her brain.

"What was it like this time?" he asked her.

"I don't know it seems different somehow," Martha said.

"Oh? How so," he asked.

"Well this time there are live aliens in it. They were walking around and then I saw them again," Martha tried to explain.

"The Reapers?" he said.

"EDI told you about them too?" she asked.

"She told all of us," said a highly accented voice, and in walked Dr. Zenger with his clipboard in hand. The German psychiatrist sat down as Dr. Shenoy continued to monitor Martha.

" _I had no choice, your brainwave patterns were going through the roof. It nearly killed you,"_ said the A.I. with worry in her voice.

"You were worried?" Martha asked.

" _Yes, you and this crew are more than just bodies on this ship Martha. You are my shipmates, my family now, and I will protect you from cybernetic warfare as best as I could,"_ EDI replied.

"Wow, thanks, I guess," Martha replied.

"Now, from the start can you relay your vision to us?" asked. Dr. Zenger.

Martha was happy to comply as she relayed it to them, her mind feeling more at ease now that they knew. When she was done, EDI spoke up.

" _Dr. Zenger, the file that Martha pulled up is not in my archive. It was coming from an outside source. I have managed to pinpoint the source to your omni-tool,"_ EDI spoke up after Martha was done.

"Alright let me see," he said and Martha watched as the video played out of the Reaper invasion as she called it. When it was over they stared in shock. Then, when they played Martha's vision the scene was similar, but different at the same time.

"You managed to record this?" asked Dr. Shenoy.

" _Yes, you brainwave patterns are linked to your omni-tool. It helps me monitor the crew's overall health and to alert medical personnel should anything happen,"_ EDI replied.

" _Mein Gott!_ The medical improvements and psychological achievements one can do with this technology," said Dr. Zenger.

It was then that the doors opened once again, and this time, Dr. Alenkov walked in. She looked like she was clearly worried when she checked in on everyone. When she locked eyes with Martha she breathed a sigh of relief. "I heard you were in trouble again. Is your health bothering you, or did EDI forget to adjust the settings on the ship again?" she said.

"Neither, it was outside interference," said Dr. Shenoy as he showed Dr. Alenkov the images from Martha's brain scan. What she saw made her eyes go wide.

"This species do you know what they are?" she asked looking at the floating orb near the window of the medical bay.

"No, but I think they are also reaching out to us," said Martha. She was just as curious as they are.

"What do we do Doctor?" asked Dr. Shenoy.

"We will do nothing and see what they want. Martha, I want you to remain here until it is time to leave," she said. Martha hesitantly nodded as the doctor walked out. She did not like being confined to the medical ward, but given the circumstances, she was forced to agree.

MEANWHILE

"Guys, you might want to look at this," said Dr. Kimber.

The group arrived to a distinct area of the ruins. Their scanners seemed to read the same thing.

"What is that?" asked a soldier, pointing to where something was glowing. When they came closer they realized that they were staring into a large cylinder object. It was round and from the hum they could tell it was a power source.

"Team one to _Normandy,_ come in _Normandy_ ," said Major Lawoski.

"Normandy _here, go ahead Team one,"_ was the reply from the ship.

"We seem to have found the central core of this place. Judging from the readings, there appears to be a malfunction of sorts," said Dr. Kimber.

" _What sort of malfunction,"_ was the reply from the ship. The voice was all-too familiar as it belonged to Dr. Alenkov.

"We seem to have arrived at the fusion core, and from the looks of it, there is some damage done to one of the power units. We could use some drones to help with repairs." said Dr. Kimber.

" _Sending a team with the drones right now,"_ was the reply. After a confirmation, they hung up on _Normandy_ and explored the area, making sure to monitor the radiation levels.

"Hey Doc, you might want to look at this," said a solider. Dr. Kimber quickly raced towards the source and looked at the monitor the man was pointing at. To their eager joy, it looked like schematics, or perhaps a map.

"Holy shit! I am uploading this now, EDI, I have schematics of some sort, can you translate them," Dr. Kimber asked.

" _Processing. It is a map of this facility, it appears you are in the central core chamber. The drones that were sent have been programmed to begin repairs. A team is being sent to accompany them. When they are done with the repairs, that should allow for the atmosphere to return to the central rooms,"_ EDI replied.

"Got it," said Major Reynolds, "Alright guys, we need to split up. Half of us will continue on to the explore the facility. The other half will wait for the team that will bring the drones. Who would like to volunteer?"

"I should remain behind, partner," said Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds nodded before several others volunteered to remain behind. When it was decided, the group split up and started down the hallway again. As they walked, the group kept close, the eerie hallways echoing with their footsteps as they looked for the nearest room to enter. At the front was Dr. Kimber and Major Reynolds. The man kept his gun up as they neared another doorway, which, according to the map, lead down another hallway into another chamber.

When they got to the door, the light in the front shone red.

"Handy, they share our color coordination," Major Reynolds commented when the door was indeed locked.

But that did not stop Dr. Kimber from accessing the door and allowing it to be opened. When she did what they found was a slaughter.

Inside lay skeletons, lots of skeletons. The room was littered with them, with many more down the hallway. Some looked like bugs, others looked nearly humanoid. But the sight of the many holes and ancient burn marks on the walls, and the amount of bodies means that this was a battleground.

"Team One to Team Two, come in, over!" Major Reynolds said trying to communicate to whomever was outside.

" _This is Team Two go ahead Team One,"_ said Major Lawoski.

"Team Two be advised we just discovered a battleground of some sort. There are skeletons everywhere," he said.

" _Acknowledged,"_ was the reply.

"Normandy _to Team One, what's your status, over,"_ was another call this one from the _Normandy_.

"We discovered what possibly could have been a battleground of some sort. There are skeletons everywhere, all of them alien," replied Major Reynolds.

" _Understood, Proceed with caution,"_ was the reply.

"Copy that, Team One out!" he said and pointed his gun forward. Dr. Kimber took samples from the corpses before proceeding forward. When they neared the door that would take them to the next major area, the door looked like it was blown open. No one said a word as they stepped through. Still more corpses laid there, with holes in the walls as what appears to be an explosion from the far side of the room.

The room itself was large with a light coming from the central part of the chamber. In the center was a large rectangular object.

"What the hell," he said looking at it.

The object was protected by several beams of light. The light itself seemed like a barrier of sorts, protecting the object within. Slowly, the group approached it, trying to see if they could explore it further. But it was with luck that one of the soldiers gave out a warning before they could get any closer. Upon closer inspection, they found that the object in front of them stretched farther into the ground than they were above. In fact it went deep underground. They just barely saw the bottom, when the sounds of the radio started picking up sounds.

"What was that?" asked Major Reynolds.

Dr. Kimber used her omni-tool to pick up on the signals. "It is directly coming from in front of us," she pointed to the object. The object in turn remained as it was.

"What is it doing?" asked one of the soldiers with them.

"I don't know...I think it is scanning us," she said and she lifted her omni-tool in its direction. As if on cue a light surrounded them and started to scan them. Then, suddenly, it showed the figure of a human being. That human being was naked without any clothes whatsoever. Then another image appeared, this one a bit more rough looking. It was as if they were looking at their genetic ancestors. Then, a third hologram appeared, one showing a DNA strand. This one seemed to show what the humans are made of when it made the similarities.

Alien symbols began to appear in front of them in a holographic projection. Showing something that shocked them. Then, like on the _Normandy_ the symbols changed to show them and their evolution.

"Holy shit! Did these aliens record our evolution?" asked a soldier.

"Team One to _Normandy_ , we have a situation," said Dr. Kimber.

"Normandy _to Team One what's your status?"_ the question was asked by Dr. Alenkov.

"Well we found some sort of device. It seemed to have scanned us before comparing us to what appear to be Cro-Magnons or even Neanderthals," she said looking at the image.

" _I see the comparison between species. It seems this species was studying humanity. When the_ Normandy _came to planet Earth, humanity didn't exist yet. These aliens must have arrived when humans were only at the development of their earliest evolution,"_ EDI said to them.

"I have to agree, with this amount of info on our species, it means that every conspiracy theorist on the planet is going to lose their minds," Dr. Kimber replied.

"On that, we have to agree," said Major Reynolds.

" _Team Two to Team One, come in Team One!"_ the radio went off with the sound of static and the voice of Major Lawoski on the other end. Major Reynolds picked up the radio to answer, "This is Team One go ahead Team Two," he said.

" _Team One, drone team has finished repairs and is rebooting the system, over,"_ was the answer.

"Alright Team Two, Team One is standing by." With that, the holograms turned off once again before reactivating after about five minutes. When that happened, the entire base lit up. And one by one, all the holograms and computers came back online.

"To think that this place was some sort of space station was an exaggeration." said Dr. Kimber as she looked at the derelict computers. Unlike the computers on the _Normandy,_ these computers were not as well preserved, many clearly having been damaged with time. But the looks of the scorch marks in the ground and the now fully revealed battle that took place a long time ago revealed a different story.

"I think there was some sort of fight that happened. Look here," she said at the two carcasses on the ground.

"They look similar but there is obviously different appearances. This one looks almost humanoid but this one looks like a bug," said Major Reynolds.

"My thoughts exactly," she said and ran her omni-tool over the consoles like how Martha did with the Normandy's own computer systems. In an instant, the computers began a data dump onto her omni-tool. As it did so, she saw another hologram appear before hers. The _Normandy_ began to download the information from the systems.

"EDI what can you make of this?" she asked.

" _It will take time for me to translate the information. I have to learn the language of the species that created this place. It will take time."_ EDI replied.

"Alright then, do we have all the information?" Dr. Kimber asked.

" _Yes, all the information from this computer has been downloaded to my mainframe. I should be able to translate it in two solar cycles or two days,"_ EDI replied.

"Good, alright team we are done here we should leave the rest of it or later," said Dr. Kimber.

Just as she said it, a sound vibrated throughout the facility. The vents struggled to get air into the room before dying. Turning on the radio on his omni-tool, Major Reynolds called out, "Team One to Team Two, status report,"

" _This is Team two, sorry, but the vents are busted. The main ventilation system is out of wack. It is going to take sometime before we can fully repair it."_ Major Lawoski said.

"Alright then, but we need to get back to the ship before our oxygen gets too low," said Major Reynolds.

" _Agreed, Dr. Alenkov suggested we leave the drones behind to do repairs on the station. EDI can create more if needed with the resources she has at her disposal,"_ Major Lawoski replied.

"Alright, see you back on the _Normandy_ over and out." With that, he hung up and turned towards the group, "Alright, you heard the man. Pack up, we are leaving," he said.

The soldiers were glad to leave the room along with Dr. Kimber. Even though she was on the verge of major discovery, she knew that her life was more important than knowledge. She did not want to repeat what happened in the Challenger Deep. So, with some reluctance, she backed away from the alien artifact and began to make her way back towards the _Normandy._

DREAM SEQUENCE

 _They were everywhere, at least that is what Martha saw. She looked around the room and found herself staring at the scene before her. They were bug-like aliens all walking around in and around her. She was confused by the sight._

 _The aliens seemed to be congregating around a large square-ish object in front of them. Suddenly, an explosion happened and creatures that resembled the aliens entered. They, however, were grotesque in appearance with large yellow eyes and no mouths. They began to fire on the aliens. Others fired back, while the rest began to run. As they ran, the same loud noise was heard throughout the building._

 _Following the carnage, she saw what remained of the aliens. Shocked and frightened, she had to hold it together to prevent herself from throwing up. Moving along, she watched the scene unfold around her. Many tried to make for the ships that were in the same hangar as the_ Normandy. _Only a few survived to escape. Out of those, not many made it to the ships. The rest were cut down. She could hear the explosions outside but could not determine if they were from the ships or from whatever it was outside._

 _Martha then turned to see the monsters. They scoured the bodies looking for any signs of life. Those that lived were shot dead while others were left to rot. Another went for what appears to be the core and began to fire on it. An explosion and a loss of air began throughout the base. Martha knew the others would be dead. She had a feeling in her gut._

" _Why are you showing me this!" she shouted._

" _ **We want you to see what would eventually happen to your kind if you do not prepare,"**_ _said a voice._

 _Shocked, Martha turned around, but found nothing. She turned around again, until she saw an image on the screen. It resembled the creatures she saw outside._

" _Are you a Reaper? And what do you want?" she asked._

" _ **We are not Reapers. Though we resemble them in appearance, I assure you, we are not the same. We are the Watchers, and we have been expecting you, Martha,"**_ _it said._

" _Expecting me?" Martha asked. Now, her curiosity was piqued._

 _Suddenly, the room and the vision changed to show something different. It looked like the void of space, but from her standing point it was near a lot of stars. At the center of her vision was something that resembled a large squid. Unlike the Reapers, this creature's mechanical form was a lot smoother in appearance. Less menacing to the naked eye. Its eye-orbs were blue and the bulk was a lighter shade of gray rather than black. The trim that marked its many segments were more gold in color, also trimmed in blue. It stood above her like a menacing god looking at nothing but an insect._

" _ **Please do not be frightened. We did not mean to startle you,"**_ _it said in a very polite manner._

" _You keep mentioning 'we'? Are there more of you?"_ _she asked curious, but at the same time cautious._

" **Of us there are only ten. Our kind is dying, and soon, there will be no more of us to protect the species that have advanced enough to make a difference."** _It said to her._

" _How are you contacting me? Are you psychic, and what is up with the visions?" she asked._

" _ **All will be answered in due time. EDI will know how to protect your mind from further attacks. There is more to you than you realize, Martha. You just have to let yourself go at some point in time."**_ _With that, she felt it leaving her mind, and her vision started to clear._

Martha shot up with as start from her bed in the medical wing. Gasping for air, she felt her hands shake as she looked at herself. Grabbing hold of her hair and making sure she was fine, she looked around.

Suddenly, Dr. Amari rushed to her side, "Are you ok?" he asked checking up on her.

"How long was I out?" Martha asked once she caught her breath.

"More than seven hours, Dr. Shenoy had to give you a sedative to help calm your mind down. How are you feeling?" he asked, making sure she was fine when he put a light to her eyes.

"I had...a weird dream," Martha said.

"Martha, you had something attack your mind from the outside. We believe something from the alien base contacted you, can you tell me about it," said another voice. Martha turned to see Dr. Zenger sitting there at the desk, behind Dr. Amari. Right behind him was the prone form of Dr. Shenoy fast asleep. Taking a deep breath, Martha retold the events of the vision. When she was done, Dr. Zenger took a deep breath. He was tired, that much she could tell, but when he spoke again, his voice was clear.

"Martha, you made contact with an alien species, do you know the implications of this?" he said.

"Um...huge," Martha replied.

"That is more than any of these scientists hope to achieve in their lifetime. Imagine the prospects of learning from an alien life form. We already have EDI and the _Normandy_ and now you've met an actual live alien through you! I need to do a thorough examination to make sure the alien has not left anything else in you... and probably how to guard your mind so that it does not happen again without your permission," he said.

"OK Doc, and just to let you know, my headache is gone," Martha replied.

"You probably got it when the alien tried to contact you," said Dr. Amari as she started to put her clothes back on behind the privacy curtain. When she was fully dressed, she walked out again.

"So now I am a beacon for aliens... great, just what I need," Martha replied

"Now, Martha, there is no need to worry about that. Right now, you can relax while the others work," said Dr. Amari.

"How soon does Dr. Alenkov want us off the planet?" Martha replied.

"Not for another two days, I'm afraid. The landing teams have yet to finish their exploration of the base and _Normandy_ has yet to be fully refueled. So you have time," he said and Martha nodded before she got up and made her way out towards the mess area. Already, the smell of fresh cooking started to get to her as her mouth watered. Hoping for something to eat, she quickly sat down after making her plate. But then one plate turned into four as if she needed all the fuel. When she was finally full, she had gotten several stares before she could make her way to her room.

Once inside she looked around before going over to the bookcase. She had gotten several books from the _Odyssey_ that one of the scientists wanted to get rid of. One of them was titled, 'Landing on the Moon,' by Peter Marshall and it details documents and interviews with the astronauts that landed on the Moon. Martha started to read and for the first time thought that she just might take a trip to the moon if Dr. Alenkov wants to.

But for now, all she could do was contemplate what the alien wanted. Getting up, she put the book down and went for her sketchbook and pencils. She then started to draw out the form of the aliens, and the slaughter that happened in her dream. She even drew out another picture of the Watcher and how she saw it. She even started drawing pictures of the Reapers and the cities of death that she had seen on the _Odyssey._ It had been too long since she had proper free time, so this time, she was using wisely for drawing. She started to read pages of the book in between drawings to rest her hands. When she was done, she knew she had something to go on with Dr. Zenger. But looking at the clock, she realized that the hour had grown late and she need to rest up.

As she took a shower and changed into some sleeping clothes, the thoughts of that vision still plagued her mind as she crawled into bed. Turning out the lights with a clap, she rolled over to face the pictures on the mantle. These were of her and Aaron as well as her family. Taking a deep breath, she allowed her eyes to close and drifted to sleep.

TBC

 **A/n: Ok that was a bit much but whew….landing on Mars now that was something. It was a completely different take to how I originally going to have them go to the moon and arrive back on Earth, but it was a welcome change. I figured that since Normandy had leaked all that element zero over the course of 325 million years such a slow leak can cause quite a bit of damage. So now that Normandy has barely got enough fuel to go back to Earth the only place in the Sol System to get Eezo is of course Mars and our favorite Prothean site.**

 **So as always thank you all for taking the time to read this especially the reviewer who posted those two flames that were removed. You, unbiased bashing of my work without constructive criticism is not appreciated and to my awesome beta who agreed with me and that trolls should be laughed at and taken with a grain of salt. As always my lovely readers please take the time to review and remember no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, OR FLAMES PLEASE thank you.**


	22. The Prothean Tragedy

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT THEY BELONG TO BIOWARE AND EA GAMES.**

 **A/N: Ok I had my fair share of bad reviews over the years and, yes I had some really nasty ones. But the one that sent those guest reviews to me….it was laughable. I mean I know you are trying to make a point by telling me to stop focusing on people but buddy...that is the whole point of the story and the Mass Effect series in General! It is about the people and the characters. That is what makes a story so sound. And for your other point made before I erased your review the bad comments you made about me and my late friend. I had to laugh at you for you don't know me and you don't know the point. So I call you out Guest and give me a signed review so we can talk. If not then well...it is your call.**

 **Ok enough dark ramblings I want to thank each and everyone of you out there who had faved and reviewed my story. (Yes that includes the Flamer) you guys are the best. And to my Awesome Beta who also got a good laugh out of the bad review. You are No Ka Oi (The Best).**

 **Anyhow enough ramblings and on with the story!**

 **Mass Effect the Immortal Series Part 1: Flight of the Normandy**

 **Chapter 21: The Prothean Tragedy**

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, PLANET EARTH

The main meeting area of the University of Auckland, New Zealand, was filled with the best and the brightest in various fields of science. At the auditorium used for such meetings, the amount of people filling in, made the person sitting at the fore front not feel the least bit comfortable at all. In fact, if one were Jean Bethune, they would be wanting to return home and watch the latest game on the television rather than sit here. But, today was not a good day, and right now Bethune was about to feel the worst headache to come on her.

Her dark eyes took note of all the people gathered in the room. Many of them were chatting with colleagues or rivals, which Bethune would rather not care about. She sighed as she waited for the last of them to enter. It did not take long before the doors were shut and the guards that were posted at the entrances took up positions. The only door that was available was the one leading to the restrooms. There was also a refreshment stand where they could get something to eat or drink if they felt up to it.

However, the room was filled with the noise of people chatting away and it was near deafening.

The room was a typical university classroom that was often times used as a meeting room for faculty and staff. It also served as a room for delegates and, in this case, scientists, because it was one of the rooms where translators can be used. As the last door was shut, the room became quiet. Bethune breathed in before she began.

"I apologize to call you all on such short notice, but seventy two hours had gone by since I called you to ask you to come here. Your demand of what has happened, whether you watched it on the news or on the internet, has the world in shock and here, we need answers," she said.

"What sort of call, Bethune? The late call to let us know that Dr. Alenkov has raised the most important discovery since the Egyptian tombs?" said one scientists.

"I assure you that I had no idea of what she was doing until she did it," Bethune replied.

"And what about the fact that the ship, after it had risen, had gone to Vietnam and attacked the pirates on the _Ocean Odyssey_?" asked another scientist.

"Doctors, please! Let me explain before you drown me with your questions," Bethune replied.

"And what is this that we hear of civilians being used as test subjects for the study of alien tech?" asked a third.

"PLEASE!" Bethune cried out, getting silence from the raised voices of the audience.

"Thank you. As you can all understand, we are investigating into the illegal taking of human personnel onboard the craft. From what we understood, the so-called volunteers were not what we thought they were. Due to lack of proper security into our systems, the people coming onboard the alien vessel were not truly volunteers. They weren't voluntarily brought onboard. They were taken from their homes by force and made to serve the purpose of study onboard the ship," Bethune said.

"By whose authority!" shouted someone on the audience.

"It was by the United Nations Council," Bethune replied. "To find volunteers who have tested positive for signs of Element Zero in their bloodstream. To see if they are willing to undergo the deep sea voyage, and help us discover what was on the ship and how it was made. But instead, these people were taken, as I mentioned earlier, by force and made to work as slaves onboard the vessel. Forced to sign papers that condemn them for life. When it was over with, they were supposed to be sent home for psych-eval, but instead, they had disappeared from their homes. Most were presumed dead from suicide, though these bodies had not been found. It was during the crisis in the Challenger Deep that evidence was found that they were being sent back to the ship to be incinerated by the Element Zero Core," she replied.

The brought an uproar from the audience as many shouted for her removal from office.

"Did any of the subjects that you say 'volunteered,' show any signs of biotic abilities. If I recall, according to recent testing with the various wildlife out in the deep ocean, exposure to Element Zero has some interesting consequences. Do these people exhibit the same 'tendencies'?" another scientist asked, this one was a fail old man who looked no older than mid to late sixties. The audience was quiet waiting for Bethune to answer.

"Some did and it was enhanced by their exposure to the ship," she said. This brought another round of loud exchanges until she raised her hand.

"So you risked a humanitarian crisis to prove that aliens had in fact existed. What is the price of this kidnapping Dr. Bethune," asked an Indian scientist. This one was female and wore the classical Indian wear.

"The price was not mine to pay, for I had no idea that the people who were involved were doing such an act. It was not until the crisis that it was revealed to me, and by then, it was counted that hundreds of burned bodies were there to die. Those left alive had been driven insane and had mutated into something else," Bethune replied.

"Something else? And for what purpose? For what cause would they be driven insane?" the Indian scientist asked.

"As you know Element Zero is highly radioactive. If anyone were to know why it was out and about in the human body then we would not exist. As of right now, studies show that people acquired it through ingestion or through genetics. Those that were born with Element Zero tend to develop abilities at an early age. The youngest was recorded at thirteen when they started puberty." Bethune stated.

"If the element is highly radioactive, then should that have started some other side effects, such as cancer?" a person asked, this one with a slight British accent to them.

"It does, if the parent was exposed to the element while the baby is in utero. This happens if the mother ingests fish caught at great depths near an element zero line. However, those are found near certain areas in the world today. The Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, parts of Southern China and the East Pacific Islands. All the areas around or in the path of the Marianas Trench. All deep sea life that is around that area showed signs of element zero. Even deep diving marine mammals such as Sperm Whales exhibit some form of Element Zero. However, the traces in them are too small for them to develop cancers. But, as I later found out, such finds were unprecedented as these species developed evolutionary traits that help them deal with the amount of element zero in the ocean." Bethune replied.

"And the people?" asked the person.

"In the case of some indigenous cultures, the people who developed such powers were revered as shamans and sorcerers. They were highly respected or greatly feared. Either way, they were biotic in nature. Some historical figures in those countries could be possible biotics. We just have to read between the lines," said Bethune.

"What about the case we heard about the girl who was brought back with alien technology? What about her? Was she biotic before then?" asked another person.

"I do not know this girl, for I have never met her. However, what I do know of her, came from her files." Bethune replied.

"So, you can't confirm nor deny that the girl was saved using alien technology?" the man said.

"No, I can't. However, we have other issues that also needed to discuss." Bethune said as she steered the group back onto subject.

"Before we were interrupted, I was just going to inform you about what took place nearly forty eight hours before. As you all know, the _Odyssey_ had been taken by pirates just a few months back. They had held the ship using the technology gained from the alien vessel now known as the _Normandy_. The combined fleets of several countries had tried to hold them off at great cost to their own. However, the pirates must have had a backer, for they were armed with several submarines. Each of them were built from plans stolen from the U.S. and Russia. That tells us, the scientific community, that someone with ill intentions has stolen these military plans from governments in order to create a fleet of their own. They wanted to use the technology on the _Ocean Odyssey_ to create weapons of destruction upon the populace." Bethune replied.

"What about the alien vessel? You gave it the name _Normandy,_ why?" asked someone from the back.

"It would seem from the reports that I had been given by the _Odyssey_ crew members, that the ship named itself. How I don't know, but I have people here who can answer your questions regarding the ship after we review what has happened." Bethune said.

"You showed us the alien vessel fighting off the pirates. Such weaponry should not exist! Yet this defies the laws of physics, Bethune. How could you allow Alenkov to keep such weaponry is beyond me!" another said.

"I had not allowed Dr. Alenkov to keep such weaponry. When she returns, she will answer to the United Nations about such actions. But until then, we have to speculate as to why she took the ship out into space." Bethune answered.

"Where are these guests Dr. Bethune that you speak of? Are they here in the building?" asked a female reporter. Bethune knew she was a reporter from the badge that she wore on her shirt. She was not one of the scientists but she was one of the news groups who were allowed to watch the proceedings.

"They are in the back and when I call them they will come out. Until then Ms.?"

"Mia Tembo, South African News," she said.

"Right, Ms. Tembo, as I stated, I will be letting them in here to speak for themselves. If you would allow me," she said. Dr. Bethune then indicated with her hand, and three people walked in, two males and one female. The female looked really nervous, while the two males looked calm and collected. The shorter of the two wore glasses, while the taller one looked like he'd rather be somewhere else.

"Ah, Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Caradine, welcome, and you too, Miss Jessica," said Dr. Bethune as she welcomed the guests into the room. All three walked into the room and every person watching noticed that they seemed a lot thinner than what was considered normal.

"Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Caradine and Miss Jessica, as she would prefer to be called, are all former crew members of the _Normandy_. They have come here today to bear witness and to answer questions to you all about their experiences on the ship and what they learned about alien technology." Dr. Bethune said to them.

"They are former members of the crew?" asked one.

"They have seen what is onboard?" asked another.

"Are you sure you are not lying Bethune?" asked a third.

"Now, Now let them speak!" said Bethune as she turned towards both Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Caradine.

Taking a deep breath, both of them approached the circle where Dr. Bethune was standing. When they got there, the spotlight shone on them, and Jessica had to shield her eyes a bit before it was moved.

"Now can you explain to us just what _Normandy_ is and what its purpose here on Earth is?" asked Bethune.

"We don't know for sure what _Normandy's_ purpose was on Earth, but what we do know is that it is not what we thought it was." said Dr. Caradine.

" _Normandy_ is a civilian class stealth ship, designed with weaponry that would make any modern warship look like a child's toy. Its design alone makes it so that it is undetectable to any modern radar and if stationary, can even make itself completely invisible." Dr. Jenkins replied.

"The ship can hide in plain sight?" asked one of the scientists from the audience.

"Yes, it can hide from anyone if you place it in the right place. The ship itself is about 170 meters in length, 75 meters in width and 30 meters in height. The power source of the ship is a combination of a fusion reactor, which is the main source, and helium. The ship can process these fuel sources itself, allowing it to have nearly unlimited supply of fuel. However, due to the crash, the ship has leaked vital fuel for millions of years affecting wildlife and the environment around it." Dr. Jenkins replied.

"So the _Normandy_ is able to process its own fuel? Does it require outside sources?" asked another scientist.

"To replenish its supply, yes. That is where Dr. Alenkov has taken the ship. To find an alternative supply of fuel to replenish the ship's reserves," replied Dr. Caradine.

"Why didn't you accompany them?" asked a third scientist.

"I didn't leave because, unlike some of them up there, my family and my research is here," replied Dr. Caradine, "I am a microbiologist, not an astronomer."

"I wanted to leave because there is much to do here on Earth. Space is not my forte," replied Dr. Jenkins.

"I just wanted to go home," replied Jessica.

"Young lady, what is your place on the _Normandy_? You obviously are not a scientist, so what was your role to play in all this?" asked the Indian Scientist.

"I was one the so-called 'volunteers," Jessica replied. That got a reaction, as a mumbling was heard throughout the auditorium.

"Were you forcibly taken like many others?" asked the same scientist.

"Yes, Alexandria Wilcox came to my school. I was attending UCLA at the time, studying to be a lawyer when she came. When my family refused to acknowledge her, she presented the evidence of my exposure to element zero and I was sent to the Challenger Deep," Jessica said.

"How were you exposed to element zero?" asked another scientist.

"I don't know," Jessica replied.

"Did you eat any fish brought in from overseas?" asked another scientist.

"I hate fish," Jessica replied.

"Any foreign food that you might have consumed that might have contained contaminated fish or marine life?" asked a reporter this time.

"Look, I don't know, all I know is that I was tested positive for element zero in my blood. She said that there is just enough of it in me to warrant my scholarship away. She had people hounding my parents till I came cooperatively. I was then stuffed onto a private jet with that bitch and sent directly to the trench. If it wasn't for Martha, then I would have died. That crazy shit managed to figure out something incredible. And I am glad for it, since I can go home after this," Jessica said with anger tinged in her voice.

"We apologize if it sounds bad to you, Miss Jessica, but we need answers as to what happened. So what was your role on the _Normandy_? Someone said that you were onboard?" the reporter stated.

"I was the _Normandy's_ Communication's Officer," Jessica repeated again.

"You stated that before, now what about you two gentlemen, what were your roles?" asked the reporter.

"I was the _Normandy's_ lead navigator and Dr. Caradine here was the _Normandy's_ lead micro-analyst. Since he studies microbiology, he was put in the laboratory the ship provided. And when we docked with the _Odyssey,_ he and I, along with Miss Jessica and a few others, decided to depart for home," Dr. Jenkins replied.

"You studied microbiology? What did you study in particular?" asked another scientist.

"I studied the means to which life was able to survive that much radiation from the element zero leakage. And what I found was astonishing, but not too similar to how life began in our universe," Dr. Caradine replied.

"So despite all that you became an officer to the alien vessel?" the same scientist asked.

"Yes, I was also there when Martha died and the ship brought her back to life," Dr. Caradine said.

There was a muttering that went on around the room as many heads were turned. They started speaking to themselves as if curious to what was going on. Then, as if one, they turned to the three as if accusing them of murder.

"You said this, 'Martha' died?" One person asked.

"Yes, I am sure Dr. Bethune can tell you that there was an incident in the Element Zero Core. The woman was trapped while rescuing both Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson from hordes of monsters," Dr. Jenkins replied.

"Yes, we heard her, but we would like to hear it from you. Martha was killed by these creatures, or was she killed by the core itself? As I understand it, radiation burns are dangerous and deadly. Even if she survived, she should have some form of cancer in her and should not have survived more then a few days," another scientist pointed out.

"Martha survived because she discovered a device that we all wear," Dr. Caradine said as he showed his left arm. A device glowed from it, startling the entire auditorium.

"This device is called an omni-tool. Though ours is of the basic scientific levels, Martha's was different. When she died, it released a sort of blue gel that was filled with nanites into her body. Those nanites had samples of her DNA and used it to repair her tissues. When she was healed, she looked like she had just been reborn. It was amazing what they could do. However, there was a drawback," said Dr. Caradine.

"What was the drawback?" asked a reporter.

"The nanites did not have a full human genome within their programming. The artificial intelligence on the ship, EDI, informed us that due to that glitch Martha will never again be fully human. We can tell, because when she shows signs of extreme stress, she exhibits powers that go beyond that of any normal biotic. Not only that, but parts of her body seemed to transform just slightly." Dr. Caradine explained.

Both Jessica and Dr. Jenkins looked at him horrified at that reveal.

"Explain," said another.

"Martha, when under duress, either has her skin changed to scales or her eyes changed to a red slitted color, like that of a reptile. I even saw her teeth change form when angry once," Said Dr. Caradine.

"So you are saying that the pilot of the _Normandy_ could very well have the DNA of the aliens that created it is that correct?" another scientist asked.

"Possibly, we don't know," replied Dr. Caradine.

"That is all for now," said Dr. Bethune and thanked all three of them before dismissing them from the room. The three of them carefully walked away to the back area where the office was to wait for Bethune.

"Alright, any more questions before I move on?" Bethune replied.

"I have one?" asked a reporter from the crowds.

"Alright, what is it?" asked Bethune.

"From what I understand, the ship has an artificial intelligence, but what is its purpose on the ship?" asked the reporter.

"I don't know, so when Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Caradine are rested, I will bring them out again for further questioning. Now, on to another topic that has been of some concern to me. Security..."

MEANWHILE

"We can't tell them anything!" said Dr. Jenkins as he looked at Dr. Caradine and Jessica with scrutiny.

"I know, and I am not going to tell them anything," said Dr. Caradine. He may have had a disagreement with Dr. Alenkov, but he had to admit that _Normandy_ saved his life and he would not betray that trust.

"I am not going to either, _Normandy_ and Martha are my friends and I am not going to go back on my word," said Jessica.

"So what do we tell them? That we are currently flying the most advanced warship out there?" Dr. Jenkins asked.

"No, we stick with the plan. Alenkov gave us a mission and we are going to do it. Remember, we remained behind to represent the _Normandy_ as well as to go home. We owe her that much," said Jessica.

The three nodded as they waited. The office they were in belonged to whichever professor used it during class time. It was just off to the side of the auditorium and it allowed whoever needed to the time to process their thoughts. It was filled with books, that much they could tell, of random things, but mostly of things that had to do with philosophy and science. The desk itself was a modern desk with its transparent clean look. The computer that sat on top was an old desktop that probably has seen better days.

Being careful as they were, they each swept the room for bugs using their omni-tools as guides. They had not found much in the way of bugs, only something random like a security camera to keep an eye on the professor. Jessica also used that time to release some pent up static that she had gathered. Being a biotic is a pain at times, and to have to release some pent up energy is another. Luckily for her, the metal beams that hold the building up provide the perfect way to let loose. But it also allowed her to use her omni-tool to tap into the speakers and microphones from outside.

Another thing about the room, it was unusually quiet. The walls were soundproofed, which is unusual for an office. But then again, it also allows the speaker to have time to themselves and to keep discussions with students from being overheard. This made them all nervous.

Luckily, thanks to their tech, they were able to listen to the arguments going on outside. The current topic is what they are going to do about the security of the _Ocean Odyssey_ and how they are going to prevent another issue like this from happening again. It is a topic that needs to be discussed and such discussions were heavily debated. They listened for the arguments and the increase in volume showed how heated it was.

Just as they were getting bored, with Jessica looking at the latest fashion news on her tablet, a knock came from the door. Then it opened softly and a staff member came with refreshments. When the wagon was dropped off, the trio looked at the food and then at each other.

"Let me do the honors," said Dr. Caradine as he checked for any sort of drugs and listening devices. He found two listening devices, a camera, and one of the trays had some sort of drug in them. It was not like they didn't trust Dr. Bethune. They didn't trust some of her associates. Plus, they were warned that something like this would happen. If the pirates taught them one thing, it was that everyone is out to get whatever they could on the _Normandy_ and that had to be protected at all costs. Including the truth of what _Normandy_ truly is.

Taking the safe foods, they ate in silence, enjoying the simple dishes of soups and fruits for them. Their digestive systems had not fully recovered yet from nearly starving to death. But it was something for them. The nutrient drinks that accompanied them also helped in easing their stomachs.

It was not long before the door opened again and another person entered. This one was Dr. Bethune herself. She looked ragged and worn out. Her dark skin looked pale and pasty.

"Are you alright doctor?" asked Dr. Jenkins as he helped her to her seat. The woman thanked him as she sat behind the desk.

"I am fine, thank you Dr. Jenkins. I just need time to rest from all that debates," she said.

"What are they discussing now?" asked Dr. Caradine.

"They are discussing something with the budget and how we are going to increase security with the _Ocean Odyssey_ and when the _Normandy_ returns to Earth." replied Bethune.

"So why the absence?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"I needed to step out to not only use the bathroom, but to talk to you about the next line of questioning. I am going to warn you now that what they asked you before is minor, the next stage is going to be major and you need to be at your best. They will be questioning more about the _Normandy's_ systems now that they have a general ideal of what is going on. To be frank, I would be on my guard if I were you, especially around the reporters," Bethune warned. The group nodded before she walked off to use the facilities.

That made the three worry as the door opened an an assistant appeared, "They are ready for you," then she closed the door. All three had a worried look on their faces as Bethune emerged from the facilities.

"I heard everything. I guess break time is over," she said.

BACK IN THE AUDITORIUM

Bethune brought the group back out again, this time, the many scientists were silent as they walked into the light of the stage. When Bethune stood before them again, one of the voices spoke.

"Dr. Bethune, we would like to ask our guests a few final questions, if we may?" said one of the scientists in the audience. The speaker was unknown, but Bethune nodded anyways. "Alright, you may begin your questions if they are ready," she said turning to them.

All three of them stood ready when the questions started to come out.

"You mentioned an artificial intelligence on the ship, what was it called again?" asked one person.

"The Enhance Defense Intelligence, known as EDI. It is the intelligence that helps to monitor the ship's systems and in the case of the pilot's absence, takes temporary control of the ship. Her main function is to protect the ship from any form of cyber attacks on the ship. And to protect the crew from all sorts of simulations and dangers. She can adapt to many situations in the blink of an eye. Her main programming is to protect the crew from danger, even from themselves," said Dr. Jenkins.

"Why would a ship such as the _Normandy_ pick its own name? Why name it after Normandy, France?" asked another.

"The ship picked its own name from our history. Normandy was a place that changed the events of the second world war. It named itself that to be easier for humans to speak its name. Its original name has been lost to time due to degradation and damage. So it did what its subliminal programming has done. It renamed and repurposed itself to serve human needs," Dr. Jenkins replied.

"Why would a ship, from what we've seen of the inside, resembling a luxury cruiser, have weaponry that would be equaled to that of a warship?" asked a third scientist.

" _Normandy_ was designed to protect interplanetary dignitaries from pirates and other dangers. The weapons and armor the ship carries is so that it can safeguard its passengers when going from planet to planet," said Dr. Caradine.

"So it was designed to be a civilian ship?" asked a fourth scientist.

"Yes, it was designed to be a civilian ship. Able to carry important dignitaries, as I stated earlier," replied Dr. Jenkins.

"But why all that firepower when they could have just asked for an escort?" asked a fifth person.

"According to the ship's records, it was built was during a time of war. That means that extreme measures were in place to protect the ship's charge from becoming killed during a space battle. Due to the amount of damage the ship had taken before we initiated repairs, we would assume that they had an escort. Or if they had to do covert operations with the dignitaries, they used the stealth system." Dr. Jenkins replied.

"So the ship was designed to carry political dignitaries from one place to another in safety, is that correct?" asked the same person.

"Yes, that is correct," replied Dr. Jenkins.

"So the artificial intelligence acts as a sort of cyber security guard?" asked the fourth person.

"Yes, as its last act before the crash here on Earth, it erased all of its manifest so that no one knows who the crew members were, or the passengers that the ship was carrying." Dr. Caradine replied.

"If that is the case, and it was built during wartime, why does it have video surveillance of our planet. We had gotten reports from Dr. Alenkov that the ship has recorded Earth's primordial history. Dinosaurs and other animals had been recorded. That is something every paleontologist is willing to get their hands on," said the fifth person.

"Normandy's primary protocol is to the passengers and crew that she has. We noticed the escape pods are gone, meaning that the crew had abandoned ship prior to landing on Earth. From what we gathered, they had been attacked just before the crash. We saw that the enemy had somehow found _Normandy_ in Earth's orbit and shot the ship down before it could make its escape. As a final ditch effort, the artificial intelligence initiated these protocols to ensure everyone's safety. When on Earth, it began a search and rescue effort in hopes of finding the escape pods. It was unsuccessful." said Dr. Jenkins.

"So if it was unsuccessful, why keep recording for the last 325 million years?" this time it was a sixth person who asked.

"I can answer that," said Jessica, speaking up for the first time. When she felt all eyes on her, she took a deep breath and tried to remember all her communications classes in college.

" _Normandy_ sustained damage upon entry into Earth's atmosphere. When we explored the ship after activation, several areas were damaged and needed repairs. One of them was the fusion reactor and the fuel lines. That is why there is element zero along the ocean floor," replied Jessica.

There was silence for about fifteen seconds, and then it was picked up again by another person, this one a bit closer to the stage.

"You stated that it sustained damage to the fuel lines, yet you mentioned earlier that it takes both helium and element zero. Why both?"

"Well, helium is used to power the engines as well as provide fusion to power the ship. Element Zero is used to power the hyper drive, maintain artificial gravity and power the weapons systems. Mainly the ship's kinetic barriers or shields." replied Dr. Jenkins.

"So it is double fueled?" asked the person up front.

"Yes, that is why Dr. Alenkov went to space, to find the fuel that _Normandy_ needs to power its systems," replied Dr. Jenkins.

The meeting went on for another four hours, going over details of the _Normandy's_ systems. It was well past midnight when everyone ran out of questions and desired to retire. Only the group remained with Bethune, who was there to escort them to their vehicle and then to the hotel. Once there, they were dismissed with their bodyguards and then, exhausted, they all headed towards their individual rooms. Once there, they unknowingly, or knowingly, depending on the individual, collapsed on their own beds to sleep. It was a long and exhausting day and for those not used to it or don't have the stamina yet, it was a huge thing. But in the end, they thought it was worth it, for _Normandy_ has risen and the world needs to know about it. All it needs to do now is return to Earth.

MARS

Martha walked into the room just opposite the labs. It was rather large with a singular table in front of it. She remembered this was one of the storage units before and now it was just... empty.

"EDI, what is this? Is this the main meeting room for officers or something?" she asked the computer.

" _No, this is the FTL communications room. This allows the_ Normandy _to communicate over vast distances to other units across the galaxy at the same rate and speed as your cell phone."_ EDI said.

"Wow, really?" Martha said, amazed as she walked towards the table. She felt along the lines of the edge and then she felt along the inner part.

"So how does it work?" she asked.

" _When activated, just step onto the platform when it lowers. Your image is then scanned and transferred to another unit at the receiving end. How it works is that two subatomic particles are quantum-entangled with each other, in opposite states. So a single unit has two different particles. If one particle were to change its state, the other must do the opposite on the other side. But the only downside to it is that it can only do one unit pair at a time. To do so to a hundred or a thousand it needs just as much pairs to be able to communicate and transfer data to,"_ EDI replied.

"Ok, that went a bit over my head but I get the point," Martha stated to her.

She walked out of the room, towards where the security team has set up their headquarters on the ship. The ship's armory was full of weapons on display for them to use. Some were housed in a security field that only the people onboard can use and some in some state of repair. But only two security members were currently there as they were on duty. The others were either off doing their own thing or with the teams in the alien facility.

 _I wonder what they are doing right now?_ Martha thought as she walked out towards the C.I.C. again. As she did so, she was stopped by Hilary who looked a bit excited as she ran up to her.

"Hey Martha, wanna see the Martian base?" she said.

"What? I thought we aren't supposed to leave till they cleared it?" Martha asked.

"They just did, and we got the life support systems back online again. So, Dr. Alenkov just allowed us to explore. Not only that, but we got the fuel we need for permanent power on the ship!" Hilary said to her.

Surprised, Martha looked at her with excitement, "Really? We get to see an alien facility? What about disease and all that shit?" she asked.

"Well, that is the thing, we need to put on armor if we are to explore. But I am supposed to get fitted. You, I don't know about having one your size," Hilary replied and Martha looked down, disappointed.

" _There is one for you in your room, Martha. It is about the same as your height and build. The_ Normandy _custom made it to fit you,"_ EDI replied. Shocked, Martha went for the elevator, followed by Hilary. As they went up, both girls started giggling at the silly things that they had done as kids.

Martha looked around her room and finally noticed a set of drawers at her bedside, just off to the wall. Walking towards it, she noticed that they were untouched. Since her clothes are in the other drawers along the same wall.

"Ok, let's see," Martha said to Hilary as she opened the drawers. From inside, she pulled up a single piece suit.

"What the fuck is this?" Martha asked.

" _It is an envirosuit, this is what the security teams wear when they go outside into extreme environments. It is also_ _what they had_ _used to fight the pirates during the battle of the Odyssey. This part is just the undersuit. In the drawer above it has the armor itself. This will help protect you from any sort of damage that could come from the alien base itself,"_ EDI replied.

Both girls looked on in wonder as Martha pulled it out. It looked a bit form fitting, but she was willing to try it on. Going towards the bathroom, she then started to strip out of her clothes into the envirosuit. When she emerged, she felt a bit exposed.

"Wow! That looks cool, like something out of a spy movie," said Hilary and Martha detected the humor in her voice.

"Ha ha, very funny, now help me with the rest of this stuff," Martha said and Hilary helped her with loading up her armor. When she was fully armored, she looked at herself in the mirror.

"I feel like I am going to play laser tag or paint ball with a few friends," she said.

"Don't worry about it, you are going to be fine," Hilary replied.

In next few minutes, they joined with others who would like to explore. Dr. Alenkov was one of them, dressed in a simular suit to Martha's, but her's was dark blue while Martha's was black.

"Ready?" she asked, and both Martha and Hilary nodded, before she walked through the hatch doors.

The first thing that Martha noticed was the air was vastly different to that on Earth, since she had to wear a helmet to protect herself from the stale air. Dr. Alenkov and the others did the same. As they walked down the dark corridors, they could see the many ships outside of the _Normandy_. When they came onto the platform, the lights lit up, allowing them to see where they are.

It was also then that Martha once again felt a presence. It was a pressure sort of feeling. She put her hand to her temple and relaxed her mind. Dr. Zenger suggested to let the messages play out by calming her mind and letting it in. She did so. The only thing she got was the feeling of something beckoning her to follow.

"What is it?" asked Hilary.

"Something is calling me," Martha replied.

"Where?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"That way," Martha said, pointing towards a hallway on the right side. Dr. Alenkov recognized it as the hallway the team first went through when exploring the base. It was secure, so that allowed them to travel down the walkway unhindered. Still, there was a security detail that came back to get the group to come down, after Dr. Alenkov informed them of the latest incident surrounding their pilot. Extra steps were initiated to protect her from herself and others from outside interference. EDI had been working diligently to protect the crew from psychic attacks as best she could.

Martha, being the most sensitive, was given something to keep her brain from going into overload. She kept walking, feeling a bit sleepy, but it helped. The beckoning kept her going and the others just followed. She eventually stopped at the room that had the skeletons. Slowly, she reached out and felt along the lines of the bodies as if in a trance.

But she did not see the people who followed her, no… she saw something else.

 _Shouts could be heard down the hallways as guns fired. The hallway was filled with smoke as the sounds of running feet echoed across metal floors. A thunderous roar was heard from all around her. It was the sounds of battle._

" _ **Martha, what do you see?"**_ _asked Dr. Alenkov, but her voice was far away. Luckily Martha heard her and answered back, "I see a battle, the sound of battle. A fight was happening here and many aliens are running," she walked further down the hallway._

 _She could feel the echoes as they gotten louder. The sounds of explosions could be heard and she described them to Dr. Alenkov._

" _ **Is it wise to let her be here?"**_ _said a distant voice and Martha could hear the reply,_ _ **"We need to know what happened, and it seems as if Martha can sense what happened here. Let her see, maybe she can shed some light, like how she did with the**_ **Normandy** _ **,"**_ _Dr. Alenkov's voice replied._

 _Martha just kept on walking. The sounds of battle were getting louder as she neared another room. Shouts could be heard and suddenly, an explosion happened just off to the side. Martha nearly fell from the psychic rebound, but managed to steady herself. Describing it to Dr. Alenkov, she walked further in. She could see the aliens again with their cobra-like heads and insectoid bodies. They were firing on a group that looked similar yet grotesque. They started firing back at them, but Martha could see them shooting things from their hands,_ Biotics? _She asked herself._

 _She was not sure, but she turned to go into another hallway. This time, the room opened up to a much larger room. This one was filled with bodies as many of them headed towards the hangars. One of them was pointing to the skies. Martha looked through a nearby window, and what she saw shocked her._

 _It was the same thing she saw on the Normandy! The same creature, this time a single one, landed on the planet. It started to attack the alien structure, but as luck would have it, it was underground so it was somewhat safe. However, the city above it was not. The creature attacked with a ferocity that could not have been seen anywhere else. Grotesque creatures came from all directions and attacked the aliens. But as Martha looked around, the hallway looked different than the one she was walking in._

 _This time, she was walking in a city, much like the first vision she had while landing on this planet. It was a small city, but the surroundings were wrong. Instead of dry dirt there was trees and a clear blue sky. But as the creature walked, the skies turned black and the city lights went out. The people ran in fear as the red beam hit them turning them to ash and smoke._

 _Martha watched in fear as this creature rampaged through the city, destroying everything in sight. She was angered that this creature would do such a thing, but then again, when the alien passed through her, she could do nothing. She was just a guest in this vision of the past. The vision reappeared again, back on Mars, with many of them fighting for their lives. But something seemed off. The Reaper, after it attacked, left the base unharmed._

 _Well, it_ was _, until she was swept again into the hallways and the fighting that took place there. Then she knew, the Reaper, the creature that EDI told her about, was trying to destroy everything here. Its minions are just there killing everyone. She could not understand what was being said, but she knew the body language. Many of them, mostly those who didn't have guns, were running for the dark tunnels. Martha followed them, and when she got there, she saw them heading for several ships that would take them_ _o_ _ff_ _world_ _, out from the carnage they went, and into the darkness of space. Some didn't make it. Others did, and disappeared into space._

 _She then heard voices as she turned around and followed a few others down into the hallways towards a much larger room. When she entered, the largest thing around was standing there in a shaft of light. A beacon of sorts awaited, and in that moment, the last members of the alien race were killed off by those same creatures. Just as a large pulse of light came out from the hallways and then there was blackness._

 _END OF VISION_

Martha found herself standing in the room as it is now surrounded by the others. She was clearly shaking. Fear came to her as she looked around and saw everyone staring at her. Quickly, Dr. Alenkov rushed to her side to hold her, along with Hilary and Dr. Kimber. All three females held her, telling her that everything was ok.

But Martha was not ok. She was shaking and she was crying. It was such a horrific ending and the vision was still fresh in her mind. The tremors didn't stop even when she seemed to calm down. It was only when Dr. Shenoy came and re-administered the sedative, that she started to calm.

"They were attacked," Martha muttered.

"We know, we can tell by the bodies," said Major Lawoski.

"No, the Reapers, they were here, they attacked this place. Mars was once full of life and then the Reapers destroyed it all," Martha replied, her voice shaking.

"It's ok Martha, the Reapers are gone, they are not here, you are safe," said Dr. Kimber. Martha wished it were so, but she willed herself to calm. She tried to calm and when the sedative really took effect, she started to return to normal.

"Guys, look at this!" said Major Reynolds as he pointed to the large column in front of them. The object was glowing a faint green as everyone noticed something happening in front of them. The computers in front of them started to come online one by one.

"Drones must have repaired the reactor," said Dr. Kimber.

" _Yes, the reactor is fully repaired and the element zero is fully extracted. I have also translated all the information from the station's computers. This station was a research outpost, studying the planet Earth. Mars had already lost all traces of water and life before the Reaper got here. I would assume the vision that Martha saw was not only that of Mars, but that of the alien's homeworld. It must have sensed Martha's psychic ability and transferred information to her brain."_ EDI said.

"If that is the case, then these creatures must speak psychically," said Dr. Zenger who had been with them the whole time.

All the scientists spoke way over Martha's head as she turned to look at the cylinder. Curious, she walked towards the keyboard. "EDI, do you know what the aliens are called?" she asked her.

" _From my translations, they are called 'Protheans,' they were here around fifty thousand years ago, long before humans began their civilizations, and had been studying human evolution for just as long."_ EDI replied.

"Wow, so they must have seen neanderthals and such then, cool," Martha said, intrigued. She looked over at the device, the glow that was emitting from it was alluring.

"So what is this thing?" Martha asked.

"We don't know," replied Dr. Kimber.

" _It is a repository of all the Prothean knowledge of the galaxy. According to the translated records, the Protheans came to Earth more than seventy five thousand years ago. They were studying the evolution of your planet. Your species fascinated them and they wanted further study. Unfortunately, the Reapers put a stop to the research into humans and their evolution. I fear that soon, it would be your turn,"_ EDI replied.

"You said this was a repository of all Prothean knowledge, does that include spaceflight?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

" _Yes, it is all here, how they used Element Zero to travel through space and even how to build faster than light engines. The Protheans wanted the human race to have all their knowledge, should something happen to them,"_ replied EDI.

"Holy shit, with this much knowledge, the whole world would change. There will be a shit storm once this hits Earth," said Hilary.

"You are indeed correct. But we are dawdling here for now. EDI, do you have a copy of all the data from the Beacon?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

" _Yes, it is all stored on my database,"_ EDI replied.

"Good. We are through here. I think we got what we needed with Martha, so now, we can get out of here and go home once the storm ends." Dr. Alenkov ordered.

"So what are we going to do with the bodies?" asked Major Reynolds.

"We will give them a proper burial, hoping EDI can provide the Prothean funeral rites," Dr. Alenkov replied.

" _Acknowledged,"_ EDI said through their earpiece.

"Good, now finish your research, and then see to it the bodies are properly buried," she said to them, and the security team saluted.

When they returned to the _Normandy,_ Martha sat down in her room, practicing the meditation techniques that Dr. Zenger had recommended to help with her newly found psychic powers. Or at least, that is what they were called. Martha suspected they were something more.

"Ok, breathe in," she inhaled, "Breath out," she exhaled, trying to focus her mind as soft music played on her radio.

As she practiced, she could feel the tensions from earlier start to leave her. Though it was hard to clear her mind due to her mental condition; the difficulties of it made it nearly impossible. That is why the music was there, to help her concentrate. In and out she breathed. But still she could hear the screams and the shots. She could see the bodies and the Reaper in the distance.

Try as she might, she could not clear them from her mind as the screams became louder and louder till finally.

Silence

Her eyes were wide open as she looked around her room. Her breathing was hard and she was covered in sweat. Looking down at her hands, they were still shaking. She looked to the bottle of sedatives on the shelf and quickly went to take one. When she was settled she looked down at her self. She was clearly shaken as the visions were getting more and more vivid.

" _Are you alright, Martha?"_ EDI asked her.

"In a bit, those visions are still bothering me," Martha replied with a quiver to her voice.

" _The one with the Protheans?"_ EDI asked.

"Yeah, them," Martha replied, figuring she can tell the A.I. better than she can tell the doctors. At least EDI is willing to listen and keep things private unless they proved to be a danger to the crew.

" _Dr. Alenkov wishes me to tell you that as soon as the storm clears, we are free to leave. The Outpost is sheltered from most of the storm. But given the circumstances, it would be tragic that no one has discovered the alien weather device on this planet,"_ EDI stated.

"What?" Martha looked towards the speakers in confusion.

" _That was a joke,"_ EDI replied.

"You have been watching way to many movies," Martha replied.

" _Total Recall was a good movie. I enjoyed watching the scene where the main characters are blown apart... that too, is a joke,"_ EDI replied.

"You really need to learn how to tell jokes better," Martha stated shaking her head. Getting up, she started to head towards the shower. Perhaps the running water would help in calming her mind down. She hoped she could get at least a few hours sleep before she had to fly the ship out of Mars again. Maybe they could land on the moon before they head home.

The sooner they could head back to Earth, the sooner she could clear her head of this tragic headache.

TBC

 **A/n: Ok this was hard to write given that it was written from scratch and it was hard to find time to write. That and the reviewer who stated that my character is a Mary Sue. Ok let me tell someone AGAIN that my character is NOT a Mary Sue. She is not perfect and those who stated otherwise are idiots.**

 **Ok enough said till next time.**


End file.
